Terry: 'When the chips are down we can come together as a team'

The Chelsea captain John Terry claimed that yesterday's victory was an answer to those – the former manager Andre Villas-Boas among them – who believed that the team is divided and relies too heavily on its old guard. It will also help to persuade Roman Abramovich, the owner, to give caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo the job full-time.

"Today we have won with a great performance," Terry said. "People were slagging us off, saying we're too old, we're past it, we're not together as a team. I said [Friday] when the chips are down we can come together, we've done that superbly in the last 16 or 17 games. We've still got one more massive trophy to play for, the Champions' League, and after that it's down to the board to make their decision[on the manager's future]. We've put in a great performance for him today."

The players involved in the late header by Andy Carroll that was ruled not to have crossed the line had mixed views. Petr Cech, the Chelsea goalkeeper, said: "I'm 100 per cent persuaded that it was not in. I'm sure the referee got it right."

Carroll disagreed. "I thought we were unlucky," he said. "I thought it was over the line and that could have taken it into extra time, then, who knows?"