Terry Baffled by Blues Surrender

Chelsea captain John Terry has admitted he is at a loss to explain his side's first-half capitulation against Manchester United on Sunday. The Blues went two goals down in the first 45-minutes of the Premier League title showdown at Old Trafford - the first after just 36 seconds - and although Terry rallied his side after the break a 2-1 defeat left their championship dream in tatters.

The loss leaves Chelsea six points behind United with two games remaining, undoing all their hard work over the previous two months to claw back a 15-point deficit and captain Terry struggled to explain why they were caught cold. "I'm not sure. We were fully prepared and it's one of those things,'' he told Chelsea TV.

''Disappointing day but, going back two months, we would've taken this - being in the position (three points behind United at the start of the game). We felt it was in our hands and we could come here and we could win the game. Sometimes, you have to hold your hands up." He added: "We came here hoping and praying that we started well and the role was completely reversed. They had a great start and got the early goal, which settled them. But, first half, we didn't deserve anything from the game at all. "I thought second half we came out, we had nothing to lose and went for it and dominated the second half. It just would've been interesting to get that second goal and get it back to level terms."

The result is expected to cost manager Carlo Ancelotti his job, with the Italian set to oversee Chelsea's worst season since Roman Abramovich bought the club eight years ago. Ancelotti was expecting to learn his fate soon after the Blues' final game of the season at Everton. Meanwhile, midfielder Michael Essien has ended his self-imposed one-year exile from the Ghana national team. Essien controversially put his Black Stars career on hold after suffering two serious injuries. But he told BBC Sport: "I am fully ready to return to the Black Stars for our next Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo in June. I still have a lot to offer my country and it never crossed my mind to retire from the national team."