Next five league games are key, insists Cole

MIDFIELDER Joe Cole has shrugged off Chelsea’s 2-2 Champions League draw with APOEL on Tuesday night and insisted Carlo Ancelotti’s side must instead concentrate on staying on top of the Barclays Premier League at the start of 2010.

Chelsea, already Group D winners before the draw with the Cypriot minnows, have seen their lead in the English top flight whittled down to two by Manchester United.

The Blues have three home games against Everton on Saturday, Portsmouth and Fulham with two tricky away contests at West Ham and Birmingham before the end of the year, and Cole says they could not be more important.