Terry writes off Arsenal chances

Chelsea may be four points behind United and Arsenal at the top but they are gaining momentum and £15million new signing Nicolas Anelka thinks he can deliver them the league.

After dropping only two points over the Christmas period, manager Avram Grant is starting to get key players back and Terry thinks they will soon overhaul their London rivals.

He said: "United are playing the best football and always score a lot of goals so they are the biggest threat. Arsenal are still up there but I can just see them slipping away a bit. It is going to be difficult for Liverpool to win it from the position they are in. With the top three so many points in front, it will be hard for them to catch up. We can just keep winning, get our players back and we still have a good chance."

Terry was having a scan on his broken foot today and hopes to start running this week ahead of a return at the turn of the month.

Claude Makelele and Petr Cech made their comebacks in Saturday's 2-0 win against Tottenham and Florent Malouda played his second game back after injury.

Goals from Juliano Belletti and Shaun Wright-Phillips sealed the win and helped Chelsea make up two points on second placed Arsenal as they were held 1-1 by Birmingham.

Frank Lampard should be fit to face Birmingham next Saturday and with four African Nations' Cup players - including Didier Drogba - due back by the middle of February, manager Grant may even find his squad overstocked in the run-in. Terry said: "We are playing well. We are not conceding, we are scoring, Wrighty is on fire and Anelka is a great signing. This season, he was the player I would most like to have seen in a Chelsea shirt and we have got him. We're getting everything with Anelka. He gives us pace in behind defenders that stretches teams, has all-round quality and will make a big difference.

"Things are looking good for us, especially considering the players we have out. After Jose Mourinho left everyone doubted us and, with the spine of the side out, other teams probably expected us to drop points, but we have kept winning and it is great to be in this position after Christmas. We have got players coming back and we are still in contention."

Branisalv Ivanovic, from Lokomotiv Moscow, is expected to be the next signing this week to bolster the defence as Chelsea compete for four trophies.

But Terry insists the League is their chief concern. He said: "I am determined to get the title back. In the Champions League, you need a bit of luck and we have seen teams who have gone on but not been great in the league like Liverpool and Arsenal. Our main target this year is the Premier League."

Anelka will also help in Europe and give Chelsea a greater flexibility in attack. The France international made his debut as a second-half substitute against Tottenham and looked at home immediately, with Terry insisting first impressions did not fit with his reputation-as Le Sulk. The 28-year-old says he has matured since he forced an acrimonious exit from Arsenal in 1999 and is just hitting his peak.

When told Chelsea fans will expect him to deliver the league, Anelka said: "Why not? We're not far now, only four points, so anything is possible.

"I feel happy in my life and I will be happy on the pitch and do good things. I hope my peak will be until I am 35. I can hit it now and carry on. When you are 20 you are shy. You don't react in the same way. Now I am 28, nearly 29, I've lived a lot of things in my life, so everything changes. You grow up as a person.

"Sometimes you don't realise the chance you have when you are playing at a club like Arsenal. I know where I am now, and I'm just happy to be here."

Grant insists that Anelka's arrival does not mean Drogba, Andriy Shevchenko, Salomon Kalou or Claudio Pizarro will have to leave in the summer, although the Ivory Coast striker has made his intention to depart clear.

In the meantime, the new signing is confident that he can form a potent partnership-with Drogba. Anelka said: "It will be easy to play with him. I can play around him, or we can play two up front.

"I think I will complement him because I feel I am a creative player. I don't want to just be on the pitch to score. I want to play passes.

"Didier is a striker and he likes to score goals and we both speak French, so I think we can be good.

"I am willing to adapt my game to make sure we are a good partnership."

Meanwhile, Terry has urged Fabio Capello to make David Beckham the England captain for his first game in charge. The Chelsea defender insists he would be happy to hand over the armband if the midfielder wins his 100th cap against Switzerland next month.

The defender said: "It would be great for David's family for him to have the armband [against Switzerland] - that would top the night off for him.

"He is a great lad and we hope that not only does he get his hundred, but many more after that."