JAMIE REDKNAPP: John Terry is an attractive free agent target for Manchester City with his Chelsea contract set to expire

COULD FREE TERRY BE A CITY SLICKER?

Hard as it is to believe, when John Terry walks out at Anfield on Sunday, he may only have three more league games remaining in a Chelsea shirt.

Terry, 33, can leave on a free transfer at the end of the season and Chelsea have only offered him a one-year deal, in line with club policy for senior players. 

Perhaps they take him for granted and expect him to stay, regardless of the reduction in terms.

He has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, so these tactics by Chelsea are a dangerous game of risk.

 

 

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Free agent: John Terry is yet to sign a new contract at Chelsea for next season

 

 

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Battle: Terry challenges Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore at Stamford Bridge

I wonder if Manchester City would consider a daring raid. If they could pull it off, they get to weaken one of their rivals and they end up with Terry and Vincent Kompany in a mighty partnership.

It would take a minimum two-year contract to drag Terry from Stamford Bridge, where you can imagine he would ideally like to finish his career as a one-club player. I can’t see him leaving, but I can see City — who have tried to sign him before — enjoying the mischief. 

Terry in another club’s shirt seems  unimaginable...or does it?

JOSE'S PROTEST LINE-UP

On the matter of Chelsea, I wonder what team Jose Mourinho will take to Anfield on Sunday?

He wanted the game to be played on a Saturday, but the Premier League  said no.

The game is sandwiched between the two legs of the Champions League semi-final and with Chelsea five points adrift after losing to Sunderland, maybe he will prioritise Europe. That will hardly bring cheer to Manchester City.

 

 

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Unhappy: Jose Mourinho wanted Chelsea's game at Liverpool to be played on a Saturday

WONDER OF WICKHAM

Connor Wickham has to be the player of the week, with three goals in matches against Barclays Premier League heavyweights.

 

 

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Blow: Connor Wickham scores at Stamford Bridge to damage their Premier League title hopes

Before then, he had scored only once in 37 PL games, but I’ve always liked the look of him since he came through at Ipswich. 

A spell at Leeds on loan this season brought a return of no goals in five games but Gus Poyet has gambled with him and those goals this week have given Sunderland hope. 

Can Wickham continue at home against Cardiff next Sunday?

CENTRAL STERLING

We began the early part of the season raving about Andros Townsend but Raheem Sterling is the bright, explosive young talent now.

He’s learning still, but he is robust, powerful and direct and rather than debate whether he should be on the plane for Brazil, I say he should be in the England team. 

 

 

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Magic: Raheem Sterling scored two goals for Liverpool in their victory at Norwich

 

 

 

 

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Rising star: Sterling has been a revelation under Brendan Rodgers and should be on the plane to Brazil

 

 

 

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On target: Sterling has scored nine goals for Liverpool in their push for the Premier League title

Where Brendan Rodgers has done brilliantly is by moving him in from the wing and playing him at the point of a diamond.

Can Roy Hodgson find a similar place for him? Will he be bold enough to give Sterling such licence?

It seems a waste to have him chasing attacking full backs out on the flanks.

 

 

WELCOME BACK, AARON

What a week it was for Gareth Bale, but he’s not the only Welshman catching the eye. It’s great to see Aaron Ramsey back for Arsenal.

He’s the only midfielder they have who will run forward without the ball and his absence through injury has seen them tumble down the league and out of Europe.

Arsenal might still be in the title race had he been fit. That’s how important he has become. He ran 7.9 miles against Hull, more than anyone else on the pitch.

 

 

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High flying: Aaron Ramsey returned to scoring ways for Arsenal after his injury in their win at Hull

UNITED LEARN A HARSH LESSON

When I joined Liverpool in 1991, I’d have laughed if you’d said they would go so long without winning the title. 

But they are the perfect example of how things can go very wrong very quickly. Manchester United are now finding that out. Last season they won the league by 11 points, now they are 23 points behind the leaders. 

The players look unhappy with David Moyes — they are not performing for him. It is a real worry and he needs to get them motivated fast. 

 

 

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Cruise: Everton beat Manchester United 2-0 at Goodison Park to boost their top four hopes

 

 

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Welcome back: David Moyes endured a miserable return to Goodison Park, where he managed for 11 years

Moyes is clearly a good manager but the move is not  working out for him and only the club hierarchy know whether he will be given time to turn things round. 

Manchester United have the reputation of being a club who don’t sack their managers. That is because they had someone in Sir Alex Ferguson who was winning trophies. 

Now that philosophy will be tested more than ever. Liverpool chopped and changed managers so many times and it got them nowhere. Now that is United’s quandary: keep the faith and let Moyes overhaul his declining squad, or give up.

YOU'RE NOT A-LOAN, MARTIN

Martin Samuel, my Sportsmail colleague, is firm in his views on loans. I share some of his concerns, because I too believe the system is open to abuse. 

Chelsea’s No 2 goalkeeper playing against them in the Champions League is farcical, as was Liverpool’s Fabio Borini scoring Sunderland’s winner against Chelsea on Saturday. 

However, I don’t believe they should be outlawed altogether. 

 

 

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Favour: Liverpool loanee Fabio Borini scored the winner for Sunderland at Chelsea

My rule would be that Under 21 players only can be loaned as it performs a key part of their development. 

Jack Wilshere, Daniel Sturridge, Andros Townsend, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard are all examples of that.

JAMIE'S PREMIER LEAGUE NUMBER CRUNCHING

43 - Aaron Lennon now has 43 Premier League assists for Spurs, just one behind Teddy Sheringham, who had 44, but still has some way to go to match the record of 67 by Darren Anderton.

11 - Liverpool have only once before won 11 league games in a row in a single season. The last time was between March and May in the 1981-82 season, when they won the title.

3 - Harry Kane became the first Spurs player since Gareth Bale in May 2013 to score in three consecutive Premier League games for the club.

 

 

PL top scorers

 

 

1 - Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana has provided just one assist in his last 16 Premier League appearances. He has nine goals for the season.

1962 - Cardiff have not managed back-to-back top-flight wins since April 1962, when they beat Birmingham 3-2 and West Ham 3-0. Saturday’s draw with Stoke means Cardiff are without a win in eight against them in all competitions.

45 - Andy Carroll has averaged a header at goal every 45 minutes in the league this season, a more prolific rate than any other player.

12 - Samuel Eto’o has scored 12 goals for Chelsea, and all of them have come at Stamford Bridge.

7 - Stoke have conceded seven penalties this season — a joint league-high with West Brom.