Terry 'f***ing loves' Alfie Gilchrist's effort to block the ball with his head

John Terry has shared an X-rated love for Alfie Gilchrist's effort to block the ball in the 20-year-old's debut for Chelsea on Wednesday.

Gilchrist, who has captained the Blues at every age level, came off the bench, replacing Benoit Badiashile in stoppage time at the end of Chelsea's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.

And while his debut appearance for the first team was brief, it showed the academy starlet's commitment to the role, as he attempted to use his head to block a Palace move.

Sharing a clip of the incident, one Chelsea fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter): 'Alfie Gilchrist went to block the ball with his head, I’m dying this guy is a madman', alongside a sequence of happy crying tears.

The video also found its way to Chelsea legend Terry, with one Instagram user writing: 'Is that Alfie or JT? Love the passion', along with a strong arm emoji, and a blue heart.

Terry, 43, also worked his way through the Chelsea youth system to become one of the club's most important figures during their dominance in the 2000s and 2010s.

He tagged Gilchrist's account in his Insta story, before adding the caption: 'I f***ing love this', with a blue heart, a football emoji, and a fist bump.

Terry has previously spoken of his admiration for Gilchrist, and his role at the club from a young age.

Asked by a fan which academy player Chelsea supporters should keep an eye on, Terry said: 'Alfie Gilchrist, he's a really really good player. He's got an unbelievable attitude. He's been at the club since the age of eight.

'He performs so well on a daily basis, does everything right. I think he's got a good chance.'

Speaking before the Palace game, Terry wrote that he hoped to see Gilchrist make a few first team appearances, before