Terry blasts unacceptable Chelsea performance at Villa Park

JOHN TERRY believes Chelsea’s home Premiership game with Everton today is a must-win game if they are to qualify for the Champions League, after branding Saturday’s performance at Aston Villa “unacceptable”.

Fourth-placed Chelsea are now looking over their shoulders at Liverpool only two points behind them after their Merseyside derby win.

“We are playing for the Champions League and everyone is going on about how much we want it, but on Saturday we didn’t seem at the races,” he said.

Blues manager Claudio Ranieri said: “It was our worst performance of the season, but now it is important to clear the mind, think of the next match and show the best qualities of Chelsea.“We have tended to show our best temperament after we have failed.”

Ranieri is a big admirer of Wayne Rooney and knows that the Chelsea defence will have to be at their best to contain him: “Rooney is fantastic and can do everything. He has good skill and is powerful when he starts running. He’s like a panther when he runs. He’s like a Brazilian and very strong. It’s worth the entrance money just to watch Rooney play. He is fantastic. When he’s fit, he’s unmarkable.

“But it’s better for him not to be compared with anyone. I say that because he’s a big champion and big champions cannot be compared to other champions. Marcel Desailly is my rock and he’s fantastic. When Rooney wants to do something, it’s difficult to stop him. Marcel, or whoever plays, must have their best performance of the season against Rooney.”

“My dream is to take Chelsea into the Champions League and the Everton match is very important for us. We’ll only be sure when we’re mathematically there.”