Solid as a rock at the back, with an eye for goal from the set-piece, Gary Cahill cuts more of a resemblance to Chelsea club captain John Terry with every passing week.

There’s no doubt Cahill would be the one to share the trophy-lifting duties should the Blues go on to Premier League success, having taken on most of the on-field leadership responsibility himself this term.

Club veteran Terry, 36, has made almost 700 appearances in a trophy-laden career with the south-west London club – including four league titles, four FA Cup wins, and one Champions League triumph – but has found himself largely on the sidelines since Antonio Conte took the reins.

And it is that kind of record that means Cahill is still adamant that no matter how many games he plays wearing the Chelsea armband, he will never fill the old timer’s boots at Stamford Bridge.

“I would never even try to fill them,” said the 31-year-old England international. “You can never fill that position.

“When I took over as captain this season, either through him not being picked or not being available, it was a privilege to do that.

“Firstly, I have learned from how he manages himself, how he plays and how he does things. But secondly, I never thought for one minute, or will ever think, that I’m replacing him.

“He is right at the top and whoever comes in after him is never going to achieve what he’s done at the club.

“Nothing has changed in my game since I had that armband, apart from the fact I’m now 31 and I have learned a lot from someone like him.

“I will continue to learn from him while he is at the club.”

Back-to-back defeats against struggling sides in Bournemouth and Hull City will serve as a stark reminder that Swansea City are not out of the relegation mix just yet.

The club sit 17th in the Premier League and Leroy Fer hopes the international break will give two key players chance to recover before a real six-pointer at the bottom against Middlesbrough.

The managerless club are hoping for a bounce having sacked Aitor Karanka similar to that which Swansea have enjoyed under new boss Paul Clements.

And midfielder Fer is fully aware of the importance of their first Premier League game after the international break in their bid to avoid the drop.

He said: “Middlesbrough is the game we need to win, that one is massive. We have a massive game now against Middlesbrough.

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“Our injured players can come back in the international break now, Martin Olsson and Kyle Naughton.

“With a good group, we can focus on the next game. We had a good opportunity to get clear (in the last two games), but that opportunity is now gone.

“The last two games have not been our best week, the things we were doing before, we have to start doing again.”

Maya Yoshida believes Southampton have the template for success this season – the second 45 minutes of the weekend loss to Tottenham.

The Saints were completely outplayed in the first half at White Hart Lane on Sunday as Christian Eriksen and a Dele Alli penalty gave Spurs a 2-0 lead at the break, with talismanic striker Manolo Gabbiadini also hobbling off with a groin injury.

But Southampton came out fighting after the interval, as James Ward-Prowse got a goal back on 52 minutes and they were unlucky not grab an equaliser as the half wore on.

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And while they ultimately left north London empty-handed, Japanese defender Yoshida is adamant the team won’t go far wrong this term if they replicate their second-half display.

“We showed a good comeback in the second half,” Yoshida said. “But first half they played much better and we should have played like the second half but from the beginning.

“We keep conceding a lot, which we have to stop now. They’re a good team but second half we played well. Personally, I think we deserved more, but it was 2-1.

“Now we break for the internationals and we can come back and have many games in April, so we will be ready. Nobody will be injured and we will be fresh.”

“We reacted well and we have to take that at as a positive.

“We didn’t play our best football in the first half and we didn’t want to have that feeling in the second half, so we said to each-other at half-time that we needed to be braver.”

Steve Cook helped Bournemouth finally keep their first clean sheet of 2017 last weekend and insists the feeling is just as good as scoring a goal.

The Cherries had completed their first ten games of the calendar year without a clean sheet but there’s something about Swansea that agrees with the south coast side.

Cook and co defeated Paul Clement’s men 2-0 – the first time they haven’t conceded in a game since beating the Swans in Wales 3-0 back on New Year’s Eve.

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As a centre-back, Cook – who made a superb double challenge in his own box to keep the score at 2-0 – prides himself on denying the opposition, so was understandably relieved to end the drought.

“A clean sheet’s been a long time coming,” said Cook. “It has been since Swansea away on New Year’s Eve, which is far too long; we’ve conceded a lot of goals.

“As a back four we’ve been working really hard in the last couple of weeks and ever since Manchester United [where they drew 1-1 on March 4], we’ve looked very solid.

“I’m delighted – it’s like scoring goals when you’re a defender so a clean sheet is huge for us.

“We’ve been persistent. Obviously it’s disappointing to concede goals; we’re an attacking team so sometimes you are left a little bit exposed.

“Over the last three games we’ve looked more solid as a team and we’re working very hard out on the pitch and on the training ground.”

Watford defender Craig Cathcart believes Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has to potential to develop into one of the best players in the Premier League.

Cathcart’s Watford lost 1-0 to Palace courtesy of a second-half Troy Deeney own goal – a result which leaves Watford seven points clear of the drop zone but without a league win since their 2-1 triumph against Burnley on February 4.

The Northern Irishman conceded that if Zaha plays well he is almost impossible to deal with as a defender.

But Cathcart, who has featured 12 times for the Hornets this term, enjoyed the challenge of going toe to toe with the Ivorian winger at the weekend.

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“He [Zaha] is obviously a handful. He has good strength and good ability and it was a good challenge,” said the 28-year-old defender.

“You always want to play against the top players and I am sure he will go on to be a top player.

“I think he has that potential to match those top players. On his day he is almost unplayable.”

“I can’t remember too many chances.

“He will have moments where he will dazzle but I think as a team we did well defensively to keep him quiet.”

Jake Livermore is desperate to impress Gareth Southgate and force his way into the England side, but the midfielder’s main focus is still retaining his place in the West Brom team.

The powerful box-to-box midfielder has been a revelation since joining Tony Pulis’ side in January from Hull City.

The 27-year-old has provided the Baggies with energy, pace and creativity – which has caught Southgate’s eye.

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It is almost five years since Livermore’s one and only England cap, a friendly against Italy after Euro 2012, and now he is hoping to add to that total against Germany and Lithuania.

“It’s very nice to be rewarded with a call-up but the hard work has to be done out there and hopefully I can get into the next squad,” said Livermore.

“That’s the idea. To be honest I touched on it before but my main focus was trying to cement a place in this Albion team and do well for my club and anything on top of that was a bonus and it certainly has been.

“It certainly gives you a nice buzz, yes. It gives you that added confidence which, as any player will tell you, is something you can’t put your finger on but it definitely gives you a lift.

“Saturday was all about us against Arsenal and now that’s all out of the way I turn my focus to England.”

Newly-recalled England striker Jermain Defoe admitted he may have to leave current club Sunderland if they are relegated in order to keep his hopes of playing international football alive.

Defoe was called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the first time since 2013, last week, and will be in contention to feature against Germany in a friendly and Lithuania in a World Cup Qualifier.

Defoe has scored 14 goals for the struggling Black Cats despite their relegation struggles and will hope to add to his 19 goals in 55 international appearances, if selected.

But Defoe – while delighted to be back with the Three Lions – admitted that he may have to look elsewhere to play his club football if Sunderland are relegated after admitting his lack of top flight football may have played a part in him missing out on Roy Hodgson’s 2014 World Cup squad.

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“You have to be realistic, to get into any squad is based on merit and to do that you have to be playing at the top level,” said Defoe.

“When I went to Toronto (in 2014) I missed out on the World Cup. When I got the call it was hard to accept but you had to be realistic.

“I was hoping one day I’ll get the opportunity and it’s come so I’m delighted.

“On a personal note if I’m feeling sharp I believe I can score goals. In this team I believe there will be a lot of chances to score goals.

“Nothing changes, if you get a chance you have to score. Simple as that.”

He may share a dressing room with him every day, but Marcus Rashford says his football hero will always be Wayne Rooney.

The Manchester United youngster burst onto the scene a year ago, scoring four goals in his first two games, which led many to compare his initial impact to that of his Red Devils skipper.

Rashford has usurped Rooney in the United team, with many predicting the England captain will leave Old Trafford at the end of the campaign.

But Rooney always has time for Rashford, helping him reach his full potential.

“As every kid does, when you’re having a kickabout and you’ve got someone’s name on your back, you just try to follow in their footsteps. I was a striker, so from that day, I wanted to be just like Rooney. And I wanted to play for England,” Rashford said.

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“I know the comparisons that have been made between the two of us. I know the expectations that people have of me.

“For me, I’m just focused on improving my game however I can. And being around Wayne and training with him has been massive for that.

“He speaks to me a lot about the game — the positions he’s been in, the situations he’s had to deal with.

“I first met Wayne after my debut for United. He was injured at the time, but he came into the changing room after the game, walked straight up to me and said congratulations. It may seem like a small thing, but it wasn’t. It meant a lot to me.

“And honestly, that’s how it’s been with Wayne. He’s just a really relaxed guy. ‘Just go out and play,’ he’ll tell me. ‘Don’t feel nervous. Play your own game and feel free on the pitch.’ And that’s Wayne.”

Kasper Schmeichel has paid tribute to the strength of the Leicester squad after they showed they can cope without skipper Wes Morgan.

The Jamaican centre-back was absent for Saturday’s win over West Ham, with Tunisian international Yohan Benalouane coming in to replace him.

It wasn’t plain sailing at the Olympic Stadium, with the Foxes eventually claiming a 3-2 win, but Schmeichel was impressed by the grit shown by his team.

And he was particularly impressed by the efforts of Benalouane alongside Robert Huth.

(Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Schmeichel said: “We had a lot of tired legs out there but that’s where the mentality comes in. We’re a strong group missing our captain but I thought Yohan, with Huthy next to him, did really, really well. Brilliant.

“You know when you come to West Ham, they have good quality from set-pieces.

“Obviously you’re disappointed to concede goals at any time but, particularly the second goal, we’ll have to have a look at it. I’m enjoying it. I’ve got an international game and I’ll enjoy that as well.

“It was very, very tough in the second half but I think we did really well and perhaps some tiredness from Tuesday night showed a little. We managed to get three points which is three on the spin. It’s very important for us.”

Willy Caballero insists the manner of Manchester City’s Champions League exit is driving them on secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Despite leading 5-3 from the first leg, the Citizens put in a disappointing performance at the Stade Louis II stadium last week, slipping to a 3-1 defeat to go out on away goals to Monaco and miss out on the Champions League quarter-finals.

They responded by sharing a point with top-four rivals Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday – a performance which left manager Pep Guardiola proud of his players and describing it as one of the most special days of his life.

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

City currently sit third in the table, five points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United albeit having played a game more.

Premier League action now takes a back seat for the international break but Caballero, whose team are still in the FA Cup – insists a top four finish is paramount.

“This is our trophy now. We are fighting every single game to be in the four who qualify for the Champions League,” Caballero said.

“After the way that we lost against Monaco, the most important thing for us is to be there the next year, in the Champions League again.

“We have to win the next game to be in those kind of positions and fight until the end because it is going to be a really difficult run. The rest of the teams are fighting a lot.”