• Premier League

Terry: Pressure on Chelsea rivals

John Terry believes Chelsea have kept the pressure on their title rivals with Sunday's 1-0 victory over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium.

Liverpool's dramatic 3-2 win against third-placed Manchester City saw Brendan Rodgers' men pull five points clear at the top of the Premier League table, but Chelsea cut that gap to just two points by downing Swansea through Demba Ba's second-half strike at the Liberty Stadium.

Captain Terry revealed Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho had demanded his players ignore the result at Anfield to focus on their own performances.

Mourinho stays silent after win

• Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho opted not to speak to the media after his side's 1-0 victory at Swansea on Sunday - instead the Portuguese sent Blues coach Steve Holland to deal with the post-match interviews.
• Asked why he had been given that particular duty, Holland told BBC Sport's MOTD: "Not sure. He's just asked me to do it. It's something that's happened a few times this season."
• There was, however, a shade of Mourinho present in Holland's answers as, like his boss, the coach insisted Manchester City were still favourites to claim the title.
• He said: "We played in the Champions League in the week, and it was a physically and emotionally draining game. It was difficult to go again, but we stuck to it and came through.
• "The title is still in Manchester City's hands if they win all their games. We've still got a Champions League semi-final to look forward to as well. That's what Chelsea are all about, playing in the big games."

Terry told Sky Sports 1: "We obviously knew about it and looking at the result, it's probably the one we wanted. It was important, as the manager said before the game, that we knew that regardless of that result if we don't win our games we'll make it very easy for them.

"But we've won our game and the pressure is still on the teams above and below us. I think patience was the key today especially after they had their man sent off not long into the game. Sometimes we weren't patient or at our best but we got the three points today and we'll take them home.''

Ba, who scored the goal that ensured Chelsea's progression to the Champions League semi-finals at the expense of Paris Saint-Germain in midweek, was pleased to make another winning contribution after spending much of the season on the bench.

"Not a bad week,'' Ba said. "I'm happy for the team, for me and for my family. I never stopped believing. I knew that the manager always likes to keep three strikers and in a moment like this I knew I would get the opportunity to come in and do something."

Swansea boss Garry Monk was disappointed his side - now only three points clear of the relegation zone - had failed to take anything from the game, but praised their battling attitude.

Ba's goal arrived in the 68th minute after the striker capitalised on a fortuitous deflection off defender Ashley Williams and Monk felt there were "too many mistakes" in the build-up.

He said: "Obviously it doesn't help going down to 10 men against a Chelsea side who have good players but I thought we were great today. We managed to get through to half-time and rearranged a little bit, and the commitment and desire to stay in that game and not be beaten was there in abundance.

"Unfortunately it was a poor goal for us, a few too many mistakes and we should have saved it. But I can't have too many complaints, they were very good. I think we deserved it for the effort we put in: the defending, the bodies, people throwing themselves on the line, that's what you need.

"I think that's what you need in the situation we are now in. Now we have to dust ourselves down and take that attitude into the last four games.''

Swansea face Newcastle, Aston Villa, Southampton and Sunderland over the season run-in . "We're not safe and in desperate need of points but I've told the players not to walk out of that dressing room disappointed because of what they've given me today,'' Monk said. "If we take that attitude into the last four games then I'm sure we'll be fine.''

Referring to Chico Flores' red card, which arrived after the Spaniard picked up a second yellow for offences just two minutes apart, Monk said: "By the letter of the law I guess it's a red card. If we go by the letter of the law every week then you'd have seven or eight players sent off in every game. What can I do? I can't complain."

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