Cashley Cole awaits Gunners

Ashley Cole has said he is not bothered by the reception he is likely to receive at the Emirates Stadium at the weekend as Chelsea travel to Arsenal. It is the first time Cole plays against his old club since he left last summer.

Cole said: “What do people think I’m scared of? Fans booing me? I had it all last season and nearly all my life. It’s stupid but I can’t stop what people think. I will go there and prove that I’m not scared.

“I was gutted when I couldn’t play at Arsenal last season, but there was nothing I could do.

“I’d had a bad ankle all season and the manager felt it was the right time to get it fixed so I could be fit for the FA Cup Final. There were a lot of people saying I was scared and too afraid to play, but that was and never will be the case.”