PETER OSGOOD has warned Saints to beware of Chelsea's England stars at St Mary's on Saturday.

Saints and Chelsea legend Osgood admits he will have mixed emotions when Jose Mourinho's side arrive on the south coast looking for a sixth successive win.

And he believes Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and John Terry are the biggest threat to Saints' chances of becoming the second Premiership side to beat Chelsea this season.

Osgood said: "For me, a successful Premiership side is even better if it has top class Englishmen and that's why it was so good to see so many Chelsea players do so well for England against Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan.

"John Terry has been excellent all season. He heads, tackles and leads, and is a much better player than Rio Ferdinand, who is a poser in comparison.

"Ferdinand sits behind and mops up but I believe John Terry is now the main man for England at the back.

"And in midfield Frank Lampard has an engine on him like you cannot believe, and Joe Cole has been exceptional, especially against Northern Ireland.

"Joe's been talked about for a while and has been a little playboy in the past but, under Mourinho, he seems to have grown up.

"He's more disciplined now, as well as being stronger physically, and he changed the game for England on Saturday. He's showing what an awesome player he is and can still go on and win a century of caps."

Cole will be even more important to Chelsea in the next fortnight as Arjen Robben is sidelined with the ankle injury he suffered during Holland's 2-0 World Cup qualifying win in Romania.

Osgood added: "Robben is some talent. He can be another George Best, but Frank Lampard has said that Cole was just as important to Chelsea while Robben was out with his knee injury, and that is some accolade.

"Joe is an unbelievably gifted player as well and it's great to have him, John and Frank playing for England and Chelsea."

Osgood scored 103 goals in 276 games for Chelsea before netting 28 in 122 for Saints in the mid-1970s.

He added: "I'm desperate for Chelsea to win the title for the first time in 50 years and for Saints to stay up. If both happen it will be a dream season for me. But Chelsea can afford to lose this one. They're the best side in the Premiership by a long way, and I'd like to see Saints build on their win at Middlesbrough.

"Harry Redknapp's done an excellent job but the really big game for Saints is not Chelsea at home but the six-pointers against Norwich and Palace at the end of the season."