Premier League title race: John Terry admits that Chelsea wanted Liverpool to defeat Manchester City

Chelsea captain says the result at Anfield suits his side with four matches to go

John Terry applauds the Chelsea supporters at the end of the match

John Terry claims that leaders Liverpool defeating rivals Manchester City 3-2 at Anfield on Sunday was the best result Chelsea could have hoped for in the race for the Premier League title.

The Reds' victory put them seven points ahead of City in third place, although Manuel Pellegrini's team have two games in hand. Chelsea, after beating Swansea 1-0, remained two points behind Liverpool in second.

Chelsea travel to Liverpool on 27 April in a match which now looks to be this season's title decider.

"We obviously knew about the Liverpool result and it's probably the one we wanted," Terry said after the match at the Liberty Stadium.

"We've won our game and the pressure is still on the teams above and below us. We knew we would make it very easy for them if didn't win our games, regardless of the result at Anfield.

"Patience was the key, 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."

Chelsea proved too strong for Swansea on Sunday, who were reduced to 10 men 16 minutes into the match after Chico Flores for sent off for a second yellow card.

Terry revealed afterwards the part he played in referee Phil Dowd’s decision, which he arrived at only after long deliberation. "I just said, ‘It’s a second yellow for me’,” said the captain. "He gave him one a couple of minutes before on the halfway line and that one just outside the box is probably even more a yellow than the other one. Fair play to Phil, the ref, it was a big decision to make and I thought he made the right one."

Swansea interim manager Garry Monk was angry at the way Dowd handled the situation, claiming that the referee was not going to show Flores a second yellow until the Chelsea players and management protested.

"All you can see is their bench and manager in the fourth official's ear, then all of a sudden, our player is sent off where it looked like he wasn't going to do anything about it," Monk said. "That's the only question I have about it, but I'm sure he's got a legitimate answer."