Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel looking to keep starting place as 200th appearance looms

EPL : Tim Cahill – John Obi Mikel ,Chelsea vs Everton(Getty images)

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Chelsea midfield enforcer Jon Obi Mikel is keen to tie down a starting place for the Blues after working his way back into the team.

The Nigerian began the season with a number of starts, but injuries and lack of form saw him drop out of the line-up for the majority of Chelsea’s horrendous league run at the end of 2010 and the start of 2011.

However, he has since started the team’s last five league matches and now has the opportunity to play his 200^th match for the club against Manchester United on Sunday.

Speaking to Chelsea’s official website, Mikel said: “I had a good run from the start of the season until about January and then I wasn’t playing so much.

“Now I have started playing again and I just want to keep playing as much as I can and help the team win games and trophies and this is my aim and this is why I am in this club.”

“I just want to help this team win trophies, that is my aim and as long as I am playing and this team is winning games and trophies then I am happy.”

It has been suggested by many that his performance against Tottenham last Saturday was arguably his best for the club as he did well to stifle the likes of Luka Modric when the Blues were on the back-foot.

He added: “When you play teams like Tottenham, Arsenal or Manchester, these teams can hurt you in counter-attack and this is one thing the manager and the defenders behind me asked me to do in this game.”