John Terry hopes he does not play for Chelsea again this season to ensure they win the Premier League title as the veteran opens up to old rival Steven Gerrard

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John Terry has insisted he hopes he doesn't play for Chelsea between now and the end of the season to help ensure his side win the Premier League title.

The Chelsea captain has made just five Premier League appearances this season, with poor form, a change of system and injury all playing a part in keeping him on the sidelines.

Speaking with former England team-mate Steve Gerrard ahead of his side's game at Liverpool on Tuesday, Terry insisted it may be best if he was not regularly involved as his in-form side look to convert their current eight-point lead into the title at the end of the season.

John Terry spoke to Steven Gerrard ahead of Tuesday's clash between Chelsea and Liverpool

Gerrard posted this image of the pair on Instagram, thanking Terry for meeting with him 

The pair are two of the most highly decorated players of the Premier League era

He also insisted that kind of outlook would only ever come from a player who has such a deep connection with their club. 

'First and foremost the team is flying, playing unbelievable,' Terry said, ahead of Tuesday night’s game which is live on BT Sport.

'Sometimes there’s nothing you can do as a player. I started the first four games of the season and get injured and we lose at home to Liverpool and Arsenal away and the manager is asking ‘how long till you are back?

'Then we go 13 games unbeaten and you’re back fit but you can’t get in. And as a player it’s difficult to accept but you have to accept it. When you’ve got a manager like Conte who’s been honest with me from day one "listen you’re not getting back in the boys are playing great the team’s flying", you haven’t got a leg to stand on.

Terry insisted he hopes not to play for Chelsea again this season as they bid to win the title

The two players have shared the pitch in many high profile games during their long careers

'I genuinely mean when I say it, but for me I am honestly hoping I don’t play this season which means they keep winning. Do you get that from a player that’s been here five years? I don’t think you do. Do you get that from a player who plays but moaning every week? I’ve not moaned once. 

'I’m training unbelievably, you have to, you do things the right way because the love of the club and how much you respect the club and how good the club has been to you over the years.'

During the interview the pair discussed the rivalry between their two sides, which came to a head as they met in the Champions League in five successive seasons from 2005.

Gerrard said: 'I think the rivalry was bigger than what people thought. For me, being a Liverpool player and a Liverpool fan, to get any kind of success at some stage we had to knock Chelsea out.

The two Premier League legends have also played for England together on many occasions

'It’s almost like hatred for 90 minutes. The feeling you get in your body is weird but as soon as the final whistle you need to go back straight away to being respectful. Obviously it’s a lot more difficult when on the losing end.'

Terry and Gerrard discussed the training methods of Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and his Liverpool counterpart, Jurgen Klopp, with both impressed with how the two bosses go about their work.

'We do a lot more tactically now,' Terry said of Conte. 'In all my years playing, I’ve never done proper running, everything’s been with the ball. Conte’s come in and from pre-season we’ve done running and after two or three weeks the lads are going, we feel great. 

The pair discussed their two teams' rivalry, which was centred on the Champions League

Gerrard spoke with Terry about the methods of managers Antonio Conte and Jurgen Klopp

'And if I had said to you I’d finish playing last year and hadn’t had that experience of Conte I would have gone into my management with the mind set of I’m not running my players, not too many tactics. But that’s the exact opposite, we’re doing running, tactics, gym work. I can physically feel the benefits of it.' 

Gerrard added: 'I think it’s similar with Klopp. That was the difference I noticed (when he trained with Liverpool in the MLS off season) how intense the sessions were. 

'From game to game it was very light (before Klopp) but with Klopp it was running, a lot of counter attack a lot of high speed running, you’d come off the training pitch wiped out.' 

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