HE won’t go as far as waving a plastic flag, putting on a mockney accent and belting out a version of ‘Blue is the Colour’.

But Leon Osman will be cheering for a Chelsea victory over the next few weeks.

Don’t worry, the midfielder hasn’t taken leave of his senses by switching allegiance to Everton’s FA Cup final opponents.

Osman, though, is aware the longer the Londoners progress in the Champions League, the more beneficial it could be to the prospects of a Wembley triumph for Moyes’s side.

While Everton can concentrate solely on the May 30 showdown, Chelsea are also striving for the Premier League and European honours.

There was evidence that heavy workload was beginning to catch up on Guus Hiddink’s side against Everton at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, with the temporary manager admitting the goalless draw has probably ended his team’s title challenge.

Indeed, Moyes believes the forthcoming clash with Barcelona, the first leg of which takes place at the Nou Camp next Tuesday, was understandably playing on the minds of the home players.

And with the Champions League final taking place in Rome less than 72 hours before the FA Cup final, Osman is keen for Chelsea to overcome the Spaniards and become preoccupied with an all-English clash against Manchester United or Arsenal.

"When you are fighting on all fronts as Chelsea are, then every game is a massive game," says the midfielder. "There’s no lull. To try and keep yourself on such a high as they have to is very difficult mentally as well as physically.

"It’d be a nice problem for us to have, to be challenging for as many things as they are doing.