The Chelsea captain, John Terry, believes no club need be
fearful of the league leaders, Manchester United. Photograph:
Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
John Terry has refused to accept
Chelsea's chances of retaining their
Premier League title have been dashed
this season but has admitted a victory in next week's collision
with the leaders, Manchester United, is essential if they are to
claw back their considerable deficit from the top.
Chelsea welcome United to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday for a
rearranged fixture – the original game was postponed due to snow in
December – and could be 15 points adrift of the top at kick-off.
Yet, heartened by a Champions League victory at FC Copenhagen and
with time to prepare for the United match, Chelsea will seek to eat
into that lead and inject late momentum into their campaign. "If we
want to put in a run and a charge for the Premier League, we must
beat Manchester United," said Terry. "A draw's no good and,
obviously, losing is no good at all.
"We go into the game with no fear, just passion. Being able to
put pressure on them would be great. There's a really small chance
of us still winning the title, but it's a must-win game. Teams have
clawed back deficits like this before. It's been done. United did
it to Newcastle many years ago. It's possible and a little bit of
pressure …
"Even last year, at the end of the season, there was an awful
lot of pressure on us going into the last few games with us knowing
we needed to win. Luckily for us, Liverpool were out of it, really,
when we went there and didn't put up much of a fight. But we'd gone
to Old Trafford and won, and that experience did us the world of
good. Recreating that could prove vital this year.
"Who knows what gameplan they're going to come down with?
They're playing well, so they'll probably be confident of coming
down and getting something, which will hopefully suit us. I don't
think anyone should be fearful of United. At times we see they can
be beaten and got at. They're certainly not invincible."
That bullish confidence has been reflected in Carlo Ancelotti's
public insistence that Chelsea are "still alive" this term.
Although their chances of retaining the title feel slim, they will
have been heartened by Tottenham Hotspur's loss at Blackpool on
Tuesday night. Spurs' 3-1 defeat means the reigning champions would
be restored to the top four, and a Champions League qualification
place, with victory on Tuesday. While talk of the league
championship is perhaps tinged with optimism, there is a
realisation that Chelsea cannot afford to finish outside the top
four.
"At times, the likes of Manchester City and Spurs are looking
very good, but they're slipping up as well like we all are at the
moment," said Terry. "The only side who aren't are Manchester
United. But when teams like Tottenham and City do slip up, it's
down to us to capitalise and make sure we win so we can hopefully
pull away from them.
"I know we lost some experienced players last summer in Michael
Ballack, Deco and Juliano Belletti, but we still have an awful lot
of experience in our squad, a lot of trust in one another and
belief that we can still do it. We showed that in the run-in last
year, and we can again."
They boast a mouth-watering forward line, "the best in Europe"
according to Ancelotti, from which to choose in the run-in provided
the management keep egos in check. Fernando Torres appeared at his
most comfortable yet at the Parken stadium, albeit against
struggling opponents, when paired with Nicolas Anelka. Didier
Drogba and Salomon Kalou will expect to be involved regularly, with
the array of options allowing Ancelotti to keep all his team
fresh.
"They are some of the best," said Terry. "If you look at
Nicolas, Fernando and Didier, the three of them are so different in
style as well. To play against them must put the fear into
defenders. Against Copenhagen Fernando and Nicolas played on their
markers' shoulders, showing their pace, and there are probably none
better at doing that in the league. Didier came on to hold it up
and drag a little bit of time out of that game, but he showed his
hunger, too. Hopefully this is the start of them all clicking
together."