Cole now faces a fitness fight to be ready for tonight after he was felled by a crunching tackle from team-mate Claude Makelele.

Cole was immediately carried off and given ice-pack treatment on a swollen right ankle. Club sources say they are confident he will recover in time – but if the swelling does not subside he could be ruled out, which will be a major blow to manager Avram Grant.

Cole is the man who would be detailed to mark United’s player-of-the-season Cristiano Ronaldo, a job he has done successfully in the past – the Blues are the only Premier League team that Ronaldo has not scored against.

 If Cole fails to make it, Wayne Bridge will step in.