Mikel hails Ighalo as they clash in 2-2 draw between Watford and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

SUPER Eagles midfielder Mikel Obi has praised team mate Odion Ighalo's current hot goalscoring form after the two clashed in the English Premiership yesterday when Chelsea and Watford played a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

 

Yesterday, Ighalo scored his 13th goal of the season in the game, setting a new record of becoming the first Nigerian to score in five successive Premiership games. He is now only three goals short of Yakubu Aiyegbeni's tally of 16 goals scored over a season and being halfway through, he is certain to surpass this.

 

Mikel said: “I am not surprised Odion Ighalo is doing what he is doing. I have chatted with him and played with him in the national team and I can see the talent he  has, as even before I have the ball in those games he is already making his run.

 

“He is a player who likes to exploit the space behind the defence and is a good finisher around the box. He is someone we need to watch out for.”

Mikel himself set a new record yesterday, becoming the 21st Chelsea player to make 350 appearances for the club. He also became Chelsea’s third-highest foreign appearance maker, since he joined the club in 2006.

 

Yesterday, Mikel replaced Cesc Fabregas in the 46th minute, as Guus Hiddink officially took over as interim manager at Stamford Bridge. According to Mikel, Hiddink is like a father figure to the team, speaking to the players individually, putting an arm around them and getting feedback from the team on what we think problems are and then trying to fix them.

 

“He knows exactly what he wants to do and he did it last time he was here and I think it is going to go the same way. He is going to demand a lot from the players, push everyone to the maximum in training so that when we get to the games we can perform well.

 

“I am so happy and so proud of the amount of games I have played for this club and at the same time using these games to win trophies and medals. For the past 10 years we have helped build the reputation of this club and Chelsea is up there in world football and I am so proud of what I have achieved and I still want to keep going.”

 

Yakubu Aiyegbeni, who played for Portsmouth, Everton and Middlesbrough in England, holds the record, scored16 times for Pompey in the 2003/2004 campaign. Ighalo said he is hopeful of breaking this record.