Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has re-nicknamed Michael Essien.

The midfielder, was formerly known as the `Bison' at the club but Mourinho decided that his express performances warranted a change to his moniker to `The Train'

Essien said: 'It was the manager who came up with the new nickname for me at the start of the season. It is because he said I go up and down the pitch and was more like a train than a bison. It has stuck.'

Essien's 35-yard wonder goal spared Chelsea from their first home defeat under Mourinho against Arsenal last Sunday and the first thing he did after the game was take a phone call from his mum back in Ghana.

'I also phone her every day,' he said.

'She has not been to see any games but she will do soon. She called me after the Arsenal game and was really happy.

'Everybody back home are now Chelsea fans because I play for them.'

Although Chelsea are chasing leaders Manchester at the top of the table, Essien believes they may crack under the pressure of trying to stay there.

He added: 'I think they can feel us coming. So we'll see what happens.'