Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole advised to return to France

Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole (GETTY IMAGES)

Newcastle United's Yohan Cabaye has told former England international Joe Cole he should forget trying to regain his place at Liverpool and return to French club Lille.

Cole has played just 32 minutes in the Premier League for Liverpool this season following a successful spell on loan with Lille last term.

"It is not easy for him because he does not play much," Cabaye, who scored a brilliant opener for Newcastle in their 1-1 draw at Anfield at the weekend, told L'Equipe on Monday.

"It worked well for him at Lille," added former Lille midfielder Cabaye. "Maybe would be a good idea for him to return there.

"The club, the coach, the fans love him at Lille. I've heard that (coach) Rudi Garcia would be interested to have him back."

Cole has received less affection at Liverpool, suffering abuse from fans after last week's ignominious 3-1 Capital One (League) Cup home defeat by Swansea.

Manager Brendan Rodgers subsituted Cole at halftime and questioned the club's 90,000 pounds-a-week investment in the former Chelsea forward.

One irrate fan tweeted that Cole, who has made just 36 appearances in two years for Liverpool, should be replaced in the squad by an "upside-down shopping trolley."