Loic Remy insists he is ready to fill the gap left by the suspended Diego Costa when Chelsea face Newcastle United at St James' Park on Saturday.
Jose Mourinho’s side head to northern England, boosted by the league victory over Arsenal last weekend and the midweek League Cup win at League One side Walsall, that came on the back of the Champions League home win over Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Three successive victories are a sign Chelsea are finally finding their form and putting a testing start to the season behind them although they remain in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
The win against Arsenal, though, came at the cost of a three-match ban for Costa who was punished retrospectively for his part in a confrontation with Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Paulista.
Read more: Do Newcastle have any chance against Chelsea? Thomas Woods predicts the Premier League weekend
Mourinho was angered by the decision but, having already been forced to face Walsall without the Spain international, must now plan for the clash with Steve McClaren’s struggling side without Costa.
On Wednesday, the manager fielded both his back-up strikers, Rademel Falcao and Remy, but this time is likely to start with Remy leading the line and the France international insists he is ready to take up the responsibility against his former club.
The forward said: “Do I want to play against Newcastle? Yes, of course. It’s my old club and it’s always a pleasure to play against them.
“The manager knows he can use me as a striker or on the side. So I don’t have any pressure, I just want to feel better. With the games coming, maybe I have an opportunity to play more. We will see.”
Remy scored his first goal of the season against Walsall but, having been used a fringe player since arriving from Queens Park Rangers at the start of last season, admits he will take time to find his rhythm.
He added: “When you come in, you just need to do your best but of course when you are not playing much it’s more difficult.
“But I can’t complain. I want to play and when the manager wants me to come in, I do. I just try to score goals and give assists.
“I don’t put pressure on myself because I know my quality. I just try to play the way I do.”
John Terry returned to the starting line-up against Walsall and is expected to retain his place for the trip to the north-east.
Georginio Wijnaldum feels the visit of the defending Premier League champions gives Newcastle the perfect chance to turn round their disastrous form.
McClaren’s side are second bottom with two points from their first six games, with their abject start to the season taking its latest downward turn following their exit from the League Cup at home to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.
Newcastle were jeered off by their fans after another woeful display that leaves them with just four victories in 2015.
Netherlands midfielder Wijnaldum, a £12 million (Dh67.2m) summer signing from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, said: “The Chelsea game is an opportunity to get a good result. Beating them would give us a lot of confidence and faith in the team, and it would give us a good step to build on for the next game.
“We are in a difficult situation because we are losing games. Football is always difficult when you are losing because you lose confidence, but you must keep faith in yourself and each other. I’ve arrived from a team which won the Dutch title last season, so it’s hard. But it’s a situation I have to deal with, by working hard and staying positive.”
Dutch defender Daryl Janmaat is a doubt, after illness forced the full-back off at half-time during the 1-0 defeat in midweek. Midfielder Rolando Aarons is set to miss out with a calf problem.
Striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is available after serving a three-match suspension, and Jack Colback and Papiss Cisse are expected to recover from minor knocks as Newcastle look to secure a fourth consecutive home win over Mourinho’s side.
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