Football: Pressure builds for Mourinho to show results

Jose Mourinho. Photo / AP

The future of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho remains in doubt following the English Premier League champions' latest setback against Liverpool.

Chelsea's 3-1 defeat on Sunday, their sixth in 11 league games, left them four points above the relegation zone and prompted more lurid newspaper headlines about the possible fate awaiting Mourinho.

The Sunday Mirror said that Mourinho was "on the brink" and could be sacked before Thursday's Champions League home game against Dynamo Kiev, while The Sun on Sunday claimed that he has been given two games to save his job.

The Independent on Sunday, meanwhile, reported that he will be given until the end of November to get Chelsea back on track.

Mourinho was defiant after Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge, dismissing suggestions that he had presided over his last match as manager and saying that he expected to be given more time by owner Roman Abramovich.

Chelsea gave Mourinho a public vote of confidence last month, but the team have won just one of their five matches since and saw their defence of the League Cup ended by Stoke City.

Nevertheless, Mourinho appears to retain the support of the club's supporters, who chanted his name throughout the defeat against Liverpool, which was the club's third home loss of the campaign.

Avram Grant, who succeeded Mourinho after he was sacked by Chelsea in September 2007, only to be himself dismissed eight months later, believes the end is not yet nigh for the Portuguese.

"Normally Roman gives the manager space," Grant told BBC Radio 5.

"He's not day-by-day wanting to know what's happening. He's not a guy who will pick up the phone every five minutes and ask what you are doing.

"Even when the situation is not so good, he will want to show everything is calm."

Chelsea's Brazilian playmaker Oscar said the only way to turn the situation around was to string a run of wins together.

"We need to win - doesn't matter if it's Champions League or Premier League."

- AAP