Boss Grant to stick with Joe Cole despite Chelsea midfielder's dip in form

Avram Grant left Cole out of the side for the Carling Cup Final against Tottenham in February and has been worried that the England international has been short of his best in recent weeks.

The Chelsea manager even tried a different system in training as part of the build-up to the Champions League Final, with Michael Essien playing on the right of midfield inplace of Cole and Paolo Ferreira coming in at full-back.

On the ball: Chelsea's Joe Cole and Andrey Shevchenko in action during a training session at the Luzhniki Stadium.

In the end, though, Grant looks certain to go with potential match winner Cole, while Florent Malouda looks certain to be preferred to Salomon Kalou.

Chelsea are confident that left-back Ashley Cole will recover from an ankle injury sustained in training last night, in time to play.

Cole was injured in a challenge by Claude Makelele but Chelsea said: “The ankle was treated, tested and then strapped.

"After consultation between Grant, club doctor Bryan English and physios Dave Hancock and Thierry Laurent, Cole took full part in the final training game.”

Although the teams made light of the newly laid pitch at Luzhniki Stadium, there is concern in both camps about it.

There are bare patches and one insider described the surface as “rubbish.”

“I’ve heard it’s not bedded in too well but it’s the same for both sides and as long as we get our footwear right it should be okay,” said Chelsea captain John Terry.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said: “I think UEFA have done their best.

"The fact they have relaid it from astroturf is a big delight to me.”

But a UEFA spokesman said: “At this stage we are confident it will be fine.”