• 29-year-old shows signs of improvement after day of rest
• Defender thanks fans for support after ‘emotional’ day
Chelsea expect John Terry to be fit for their Premier League game at Everton on Wednesday, with the defender having publicly thanked the London club’s supporters for the reception he received at Stamford Bridge yesterday after an agonising week which saw him stripped of the England captaincy.
Terry, who contacted the new national captain, Rio Ferdinand, over the weekend to reaffirm his commitment, suffered a dead leg during the 2-0 victory over Arsène Wenger’s side and required heavy strapping on his left thigh to ensure he could complete the 90 minutes.
The defender did not train with the first-team at Cobham today but, with the limb having benefited from rest, the bruising is showing signs of improvement. Carlo Ancelotti expects his captain to train fully tomorrow ahead of the trip to Merseyside, where Chelsea hope to maintain their lead at the top of the table.
The 29-year-old, clearly emotional, had ended the game at the weekend by saluting each stand in turn at Stamford Bridge, flinging his shirt into the crowd as a show of thanks for the support he had received after a week marred by allegations over his private life culminated in Friday’s curt meeting with Fabio Capello, when he was sacked as England captain.
“On a personal note, I’d like to thank every single fan,” Terry told Chelsea TV. “It’s been a really emotional day for me, and the way the fans have been with me for the last two weeks … Honestly, it’s incredible. I didn’t expect that today. I go away full of delight and I’d like to thank every single fan for the way they treated me.”
Terry had been unflappable at the heart of Chelsea’s defence and providing the flicked header which presented Didier Drogba with the first of his two goals. While Arsenal dominated possession for long periods, the visitors rarely threatened to force their way back into the contest, with Chelsea maintaining their impressive defensive record at Stamford Bridge, where they have conceded only eight goals in 13 games.
“As the manager said, we needed to defend well and I thought Big Pete [Cech] was brilliant,” he added. “He came for crosses, made a great save from [Nicklas] Bendtner in the second half and just scooped it away. Ashley [Cole] was brilliant, Riccy [Carvalho], [Branislav] Ivanovic brilliant, really solid, but then going forward we were great and caught them a few times on the counter-attack. So, overall, a great performance, and I mean it from my heart, I’d like to thank everyone for today. Thank you.”
The defender could still be rested for the visit of Cardiff City in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday and, instead, fly to Dubai to see his wife, Toni Poole, and their three-year-old twins. Terry is anxious to speak with his partner following allegations of an affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the former girlfriend of his England and former Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge.
John TerryChelseaPremier LeagueDominic Fifieldguardian.co.uk
