Chelsea ace Essien: Injury has improved my self-belief

Michael Essien says he is over his injury problems suffered last season.

The Chelsea midfielder told the London Evening Standard: "The injury has actually helped me a lot. I had to be strong to cope with the rehab and all the hard work. I have come back stronger than I was before.

"After coming back from an injury like that I am now tougher mentally. You have to be in order to cope with it.

"I don't worry about the injury now because I'm the kind of person that when I'm on the pitch I forget about everything and just get on with my football.

"It was really tough to watch the games from the stands and seeing my team go through difficulties last season. I'm the type of person who wants to be on the pitch so that we win and lose together."

He added: "I think off the pitch I'm a quiet person. I don't really like talking or doing interviews.

"But when I'm on the pitch that's a different thing altogether - the pitch is like my office and when you're in the office you don't mess around, you mean business.

"So when I'm on the pitch, everything switches and I go with my football and do everything to try to win the game."