Chelsea legend Michael Essien believes just one Chelsea player in the Blues' current XI would make the Starting XI in a combined team picked from the Ghanaian's time at Chelsea and the current crop of players.
The central midfielder was a key figure in Chelsea winning their second consecutive Premier League title in 2006 with a team boasting the likes of prolific marskman Didier Drogba, dynamic midfielders Frank Lampard, Arjen Robben and Claude Makelele, as well as club captain John Terry and goalkeeper Petr Cech.
Essien made 187 Premier League appearances in a Chelsea shirt, scoring 17 goals in the League and winning two Premier League titles (second 2009/10). The 35-year-old enjoyed nine years at Chelsea and also won four FA Cups, one League Cup, one Community Shield and one Champions League trophy in 2012.
Essien, who was speaking at an event with William Hill Plus, looked back fondly at his time in London and paid tribute to his team-mates as he picked his combined XI. Belgian winger Eden Hazard was the only player to make it into the combined XI with the other international stars like Thibaut Courtois, N'Golo Kante, Pedro and Alvaro Morata all missing out.
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Michael Essien's Combined XI:
GK: Petr Cech
RB: William Gallas
CB: John Terry
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CB: Ricardo Carvalho
LB: Ashley Cole
CDM: Claude Makelele
CM: Frank Lampard
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CM: Michael Essien
RW: Arjen Robben
LW: Eden Hazard
ST: Didier Drogba
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Michael Essien was speaking at a William Hill Plus event - access online funds in shop and cash-in shop bets on mobile, more info at williamhillplus.com