Didier Drogba is relishing his partnership with Nicolas Anelka - because it means he finishes a game without feeling exhausted.

The Ivory Coast international maintains he always knew they could play alongside each other and the pair have remained close friends despite having to compete for only one position under previous managers Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Guus Hiddink.

But coach Carlo Ancelotti has played the pair together since he arrived in the summer and Anelka has scored five goals from 18 games in all competitions this term, while Drogba has been on fire with 12 in 15 outings.

"Rather than starting a war between us for the only position in attack, we always did our best to impose our partnership," said Drogba.

"We both had great faith in it. Ancelotti has been the first to trust us in attack. We didn't need to convince him, he really wanted it. We quickly felt that partnership would be part of the balance of that team.

"Ancelotti has started something at Chelsea and we are lucky to both be a part of it. The partnership is instinctive. We think about the same piece of football at the same moment.

"I have to admit it is much more comfortable for me to play beside Nico in attack. I am less tired after the encounters. Sometimes I am even surprised after the end of a game: 'What happens? I am not exhausted.'

"We saw ourselves as team-mates. Maybe that is the secret."

Anelka, meanwhile, claims supplying Drogba with goals gives him as much pleasure as scoring himself.

The Frenchman is happy to play a deeper role that allows him to make goals as well as score them.

"Immediately I could imagine myself running around Didier," he told France Football.

"I didn't come to Chelsea to only score goals and act like a star but rather to give passes for him to score as many goals as possible.

"I have always said it, my real position is not centre forward but second forward or playmaker."