Bosnich could face lengthy ban amid claims of positive cocaine test

CHELSEA’S Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was yesterday caught up in claims that he has tested positive for the Class A drug cocaine.

The former Aston Villa and Manchester United player is reported to have failed a drugs test.

The Football Association refused to confirm or deny whether a test has been carried out on the 30-year-old, but if it is proved then the keeper faces a lengthy ban.

It is understood that Chelsea were only informed of the positive test a matter of days ago and that a B sample has yet to be analysed.

If the B sample confirms the finding for cocaine, then the FA can order a suspension and rehabilitation.

It will also open up the possibility of Chelsea considering terminating the contract of Bosnich, who has made only a handful of appearances for London club despite being paid around £40,000 a week. If the drugs finding is confirmed, Bosnich will become the most high-profile Premier League player to have tested positive for drugs.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Petit yestrday vowed Chelsea will exploit their title rivals’ hectic European schedule and make Sir Alex Ferguson eat humble pie.

The Manchester United boss delivered a damning verdict on the Blues’ championship chances on Friday, claiming: ‘‘You look at teams with a chance of winning the league and I’d put Everton above Chelsea, as they have more about them.

‘‘Maybe not in terms of natural ability, but in their enthusiasm and energy and structure of the team.’’

Ferguson’s harsh words have not gone down well in west London, where Chelsea swept aside Birmingham on Saturday and could easily have doubled their 3-0 victory scoreline.

Now Petit has outlined his plan to mount a genuine title bid, taking advantage of United, Arsenal and Liverpool’s preoccupation with the Champions League.

Claudio Ranieri’s red-hot side have kept four clean sheets in a row, taking 10 points from a possible 12 to go third in the Barclaycard Premiership - just seven points behind leaders Liverpool, who lost 1-0 at Middlesbrough.

French midfielder Petit, 32, said: ‘‘Sir Alex Ferguson will say what he wants, but the fact is a lot of people weren’t confident about Chelsea this season.

‘‘We’ve been under pressure a lot of times, so now we have to work, work, work and see where we are at the end of the year.

‘‘Our target is to finish as near as possible to the top of the table.

‘‘Europe is over now so we must be focused on the league and both cups.

‘‘Europe is probably a distraction for Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, although they’ve got more players than us.

‘‘That makes a big difference when you’re in the Champions League, as you need a strong, strong squad.

‘‘But we’ll try and do it our own way. We have so many players with big technical qualities. And the way to do well is to play with a lot of movement, like we did yesterday.’’

Chelsea’s off-the-ball workrate certainly was the key to yesterday’s mesmerising destruction of Steve Bruce’s team at Stamford Bridge.