Plenty has changed visibly in Mark Hughes, a Chelsea legend as a player and an adversary tomorrow, since his days on the pitch. But one characteristic definitely remains the same.

That is according to Ray Wilkins who has known all about the current Manchester City manager a lot longer than most people.

Wilkins was in his final seasons at Manchester United just as a young Welsh striker was breaking into the team, and he made an instant impression.

'We used to go and watch the FA Youth Cup games and we used to have Norman Whiteside and Mark Hughes playing up front in that youth team, which was quite awesome,' the Chelsea assistant recalls.

'Mark is exactly the same now as he was when he was 16 or 17 in that he had this burning desire to win. He has carried it right through his career.

'On the field even then you could see that he had a leader in him, always cajoling players and wanting players to do better, and he was already a huge guy with big thighs. He could always hold the ball up exceptionally well and he was an exceptional finisher.'

Hughes, incidentally a schoolboy Chelsea fan, had converted from a midfielder to a forward in the Man United youth team and made his first team debut in November 1983.

'We had Frank Stapleton and then after that it seemed to go into a bit of a lull up front,' says Wilkins who left Old Trafford for Italy in the summer of 1984.

'But then Mark came in and transformed it once again into a super side. They were lacking someone who could really get hold of the ball and he was the guy that could do so.

'He was a wonderful footballer and just a good guy as well and when you see him now, speaking before and after games, he comes across as a good guy.

'He didn't say a lot but you did listen when he spoke and I think he has carried that on through his management career. At Blackburn I thought he was quite exceptional. At City it is a different world because he has money to spend but I am sure he will handle that situation.

'We are coming up against the old team - Hitchy and Eddie,' Wilkins points out. In his first spell coaching with Chelsea a decade ago under Gianluca Vialli, Eddie Niedzwiecki (below right), now an outfield coach at Man City, was the goalkeeping coach and Kevin Hitchcock, who does that job for Hughes, was still a keeper.

'Eddie loves his football, he's very enthusiastic and was a very valuable part of the coaching team. He used to go away and do all the European scouting trips, come back and deliver the reports to the team. More often than not he was spot on.

'Having to pack up playing early through injury gave him more opportunity to get into the coaching side. I have not seen Hitchy for a while but he was a bit of a loony and I sincerely hope he is the same.

'He is obviously doing a great job working with Shay Given there. He has good material to work with and it looks as if Shay is performing to a very high standard.

'We are talking about three people who adore football and let's hope after tomorrow their fortunes gather momentum.'