Chelsea look to strengthen grip as Terry row rages

LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea will try to cement their position at the top of the Premier League by winning at London rivals Arsenal on Saturday in their first match since Blues skipper John Terry was banned for racist abuse.

Terry was given a four-game ban by the Football Association (FA) on Thursday after being found guilty of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand and fined 220,000 pounds (S$450,000) pending appeal.

Terry has 14 days from receiving the written reasons for the decision to lodge an appeal against a decision relating to an incident that took place during Chelsea's match away to QPR at Loftus Road on Oct 23, 2011.

The ban - which comes after the 31-year-old former England captain was acquitted of criminal charges relating to the same incident in July - will not come into force until the appeals procedure is complete.