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Tomorrow marks Joe Cole's 28th birthday, but he insists his pre-match rituals will be no different to usual.

A typically sociable character, the versatile playmaker admits he grows bored with the monotony of matchdays, and the added attraction of a few presents to open will make him no less impatient to get to Stamford Bridge.

'I just do a lot of sleeping and eating,' he shrugged. 'Matchdays are a nightmare for me to be honest. If I could I would stay at home, I find the day boring just sitting in my hotel room and relaxing, so I would prefer to just turn up and play.

'I try to concentrate on relaxing before a game, and I do that best with company, but obviously everyone is different.'

This birthday is often seen as a landmark in footballer terms, as Cole enters the years in which most people are expected to be at the peak of their powers.

'Who knows?' he responded, when the idea was put to him. 'I keep training, and with the setbacks I've had I am more professional so now I can only see positive things ahead.

'I cannot see myself getting injured like that again, my body is as strong as it's ever been, and I'm looking at the next 10 years of my career, as I see it I'm fit as a fiddle and want to play on forever.

'I am one of the more experienced ones here now, I've played a lot of football in different positions and I want to use that to help Chelsea, so I'll just keep going, keep playing and enjoying my football, the age thing makes no difference. I'm enjoying it at the moment and it's great to be back.'

Before tomorrow's clash is another heavyweight battle Cole will be keeping an eye on, as boxing Brit David Haye takes on Nikolai Valuev in Nuremburg for the WBA world title.

Haye, who visited Stamford Bridge last season, has Cole's backing.

'Hopefully David can win and I think he can win,' said the ex-West Ham man. 'I've met him a couple of times and he seems like a nice guy. Boxers have to promote themselves and he does that very well.

'He has to be in and out, but Valuev is good, he's better than people expect. He has a decent jab, has only been beaten once and can grind you down. He can go 12 rounds, but not at David Haye's pace, so if he can force it he could win, but I'm a footballer talking, so who knows?'

Carlo Ancelotti has been talking in depth about this weekend's opponents and his previous encounters with their manager, Alex Ferguson.

The Italian has crossed swords in a football sense with the Scot as Juventus and AC Milan manager. Now he has been giving his fully attention once more to how the beat the side from Old Trafford.

To that end, Ancelotti believes Man United's most recent defeat, at Anfield last month, is one his team must study going into Sunday's clash.

'I think that Liverpool did a fantastic match, a strong match, and put a lot of pressure on the pitch,' Ancelotti analyses

'They won because of this, because they didn't give the possibility to Manchester United to play like they want to play.

'This is a good lesson for us. Manchester can suffer the pressure on their midfielders.

'But I don't work to play against a weakness [in the opposition],' he continues. 'We want to play to put on the pitch our quality.'

In other words, don't expect a Chelsea approach noticeably different to the one that has earned so many good results this season.

'The best thing to play against Man United is to maintain balance because they have a good defence and fantastic strikers,' the Chelsea manager says.

'For me [Wayne] Rooney is one of the most intelligent strikers in the world and it is very dangerous to play against him. Without [injured] Rio Ferdinand they lose something but also [Jonny] Evans and [John] O'Shea are very good centre-backs.'

Ferguson got the better of Ancelotti in their first contest, the famous Champions League semi-final of 1999. In the first leg, Juventus were denied a win at Old Trafford by a last-minute goal. Then 2-0 up in Turin, they allowed the eventual tournament winners that season to comeback and win 3-2.

With Milan, Ancelotti had far more success. While Chelsea were enjoying our epic duel with Barcelona in 2005, his side were winning 1-0 in Manchester and then by the same score in the San Siro, Hernán Crespo, on-loan from Chelsea, netting both times.

In 2007, on the way to winning the European Cup themselves, Milan lost the away leg 3-2 but triumphed 3-0 at home.

'There was a particular atmosphere created after the first match,' recalls Ancelotti, 'because we lost in the first leg in the last minute and that goal forced my team to play attack from the start in the second leg. At the same time Man United thought to defend and after 30 minutes, we were leading 2-0.'

It was during that first Man United v Juve tie that Ancelotti encountered the famous Fergie post-match invitation.

'He offered me a glass of wine and normally in Italy after the match you are a little bit anxious. I appreciated this. They had drawn with us in the last minute and I was a little bit angry and after the red wine it is better!

'I gave him a bottle of my wine, a Brunello, after Milan against Manchester United.

'Now in my office I have red wine and beer. Whatever he wants, I can do. I think he prefers red wine, me also. To maintain a good relationship with the other coaches is a good thing. In Italy we are not used to this.'


Phone Extra-Time on Chelsea TV at 6.30pm on Sunday with your thoughts on the game.

Chelsea players welcomed members of the armed forces who have been deployed in Afghanistan to Cobham to mark the start of the club's support for the 2009 Poppy Appeal.

The visit was part of the club's backing for the annual fundraising by the Royal British Legion that will include events before tomorrow's match versus Manchester United, plus poppies embroidered on the players' shirts.

John Terry and Joe Cole were among the players who greeted the servicemen at the training ground. Lance Corporal Tom Neathway, a big Chelsea supporter who lost both legs and an arm while on duty for the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan was one of them. 

This year's Poppy Appeal is carrying the message that as well as remembering those who served in past conflicts, the Royal British Legion also provides support for veterans of current campaigns.

'Chelsea, as a club and as individuals, has got fully behind the Appeal,' says Terry.

'We want the veterans to have the recognition and support they fully deserve. They're the people who are putting their lives on the line for us.'

The Chelsea captain had previously met Lance Corporal Neathway at the Millie Awards, the recently inaugurated recognition of those who have shown remarkable bravery and courage in action.

'Getting to know people like Tom and hearing about what he has been through is unbelievable,' Terry says. 'When I first spoke to him, he told me he couldn't wait to get back and that is the determination and the courage of these guys. They are a real pleasure to meet.'

Lance Corporal Neathway welcomes football's backing of the Poppy Appeal.

'It does still cover the First and Second World Wars but Afghanistan comes under the same umbrella.

'The players are on the newspaper back pages every day and for them to support us shows everyone should support the Appeal.'

'We need around £60 million to maintain the level of support we have going,' explains Graham Akins from the British Legion.

'We support over 100,000 people a year and it is important we are there for them, helping them readjust into civilian life, giving them any financial or other advice they need.

'This year we are focusing on the fact the Poppy Appeal is there for people who are coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq today, because they are going to need us now and throughout their lives.

'A lot of people think the Appeal is remembrance of the World Wars. It is that but it is also to remember people from now and support those people. It is great that Chelsea get involved.'

Joe Cole in his youth accompanied his grandfather to his local British Legion headquarters on Remembrance Sunday.

'The Poppy Appeal is a great way for people to get involved,' says our midfielder.

'Chelsea are right behind it and if there is a good cause to get behind, this is the one. It shows what a great nation we are that we look after our war heroes.'

'It is the first time we have had poppies on our shirts,' adds Terry. 'It gives it the recognition it deserves and it is good it has fallen on such a great occasion as Chelsea versus Man United, with a lot of people watching.'

Lance Corporal Neathway will be at the game and is confident of a good result.

'We are playing well and are a strong side,' he says. 'It will be awesome just to smash them!'

The players' shirts will be auctioned after the game with the proceeds going to the British Legion. Details of the auction will be announced early next week.

Around the stadium on Sunday there will be 50 members of the Armed Forces collecting for The 2009 Poppy Appeal.

Chelsea has invited 150 military personnel past and present to watch Sunday's match. Also invited are Conor, the son, and Natalie, the ex-partner of Michael Lockett, the most highly-decorated British solider to die in Afghanistan. Michael was a dedicated Chelsea fan, as is Conor.

Please arrive early in the stadium and take your seat in good time as a number of events will be taking place on the pitch to mark Remembrance Sunday:

• The Chelsea and Manchester United players will form a guard of honour on the halfway line.
• A procession of Chelsea Pensioners and Royal British Legion troops will walk out onto the pitch.
• After the coin toss the players, troops and fans will observe a minute's silence.
  

Click for more information on the 2009 Poppy Appeal.

Also shown in picture with Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda are Anil Gurung, Lance Corporal Tom Neathway, Major Stu Russell and Sergeant Major Bob Toomey.

Chelsea will not automatically sign new players in the January window according to the manager now there is a stay on Fifa's ban .

Carlo Ancelotti is pleased he now has the option to strengthen the squad this season but will wait to decide whether to exercise it or not.

'It is good for the club because it is a decision that gives us the possibility to buy new players if necessary,' he said in reaction to the news from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, 'but at the moment I think it is not necessary.'

He is unconcerned that should Chelsea not sign players in January and then fail in appeal against the two-window transfer ban, summer 2011 would be the next opportunity to register fresh players.

'Now for us it is not a big problem. Our aim now is to maintain in good condition the players because we have a big squad. My experience is that I don't have a problem about old players. I trained players sometimes who were 40-years-old. These Chelsea players have a lot of time to play for me.'

At the younger end of the age spectrum, Ancelotti has announced that 18-year-old Gael Kakuta, whose personal suspension has also had a stay placed upon it, will play in the Reserves at home to Fulham on Monday night, a game that will be shown live on Chelsea TV.

Chelsea's Under 18s side secured another home win at a chilly Cobham today as they saw off visitors Portsmouth.

Goals came from Bobby Devyne, Billy Knott (pictured) and Aliu Djalo as Chelsea put ourselves back in the lead following a Portsmouth equaliser in the first half.

Despite the final score however, the game was a fairly uneventful affair and the Blues struggled to compete with a tough Pompey performance.

It took 19 minutes for the deadlock to be broken when some beautiful football from Chelsea left the Portsmouth defence confused, giving Knott time to send a cross skimming along the line for a determined Devyne to slide onto, tapping in with ease.

Within four minutes Portsmouth had equalised. James Jannings leapt high to head a dangerous cross beyond the line at the far post while Chelsea keeper Aldi Haxhia could only watch.

The half would finish in Chelsea's favour when Deen-Conteh made a productive run down the left flank to win a corner. The subsequent ball was sent in by Anton Rodgers for Marco Mitrovic to try and head.

When his attempt was blocked the ball span out to Knott who smashed home a trademark left-footed strike which ricocheted off the Portsmouth defence and into the goal. It is the fourth game running Knott has scored in.

Dermot Drummy made two changes at half time, replacing Mitrovic with Philipp Prosenik and Rodgers with James Ashton.

Further into the half Nathaniel Chalobah (fresh from an England Under 17s qualification tournament) made his Under 18 debut replacing Tom Hayden in the back line.

But despite the changes, the second half didn't see much activity as the two midfields battled for possession.

It wasn't until the 68th minute that Chelsea would increase the lead and this time it was captain Djalo finding the net.

Knott had released a cross destined for Prosenik, but when the ball was blocked it fell to Djalo just inside the box. He expertly drilled home a shot into the bottom right.

Devyne and Knott then had chances, feeding off balls from Ashton and Deen-Conteh respectively, but it was Portsmouth who would score the final goal.

With 78 minutes played, Pablo Navas launched a wonder strike past Haxhia from 25 yards out, beating the Chelsea keeper who could only watch as the ball hit the net.

The Blues immediately retaliated when Deen-Conteh broke once again, curling a cross towards the far post where Prosenik connected cleanly. Unfortunately he only managed to head into Tommy Smith's hands between the Pompey posts for the last chance of the game.

'A 3-2 win in terms of the table keeps us up there,' said Drummy after the game, 'but I'm not happy, we can play better than that.

'It wasn't the standard we have been setting this season and fortunately the opposition let us into the game a little, Billy Knott did play well though.'

Chelsea (4-3-3): Aldi Haxhia; Ben Sampayo, Tom Hayden (Nathaniel Chalobah 59), Kenny Strickland, Aziz Deen-Conteh; Anton Rodgers (James Ashton h-t), George Saville, Aliu Djalo (c); Bobby Devyne, Marco Mitrovic (Philipp Prosenik h-t), Billy Knott.