Ivanovic admits Chelsea players to blame for slump

When things are going well, there is a risk of relaxation, revealed Ancelotti, and when things start to go badly the inevitable outcome is a drop in confidence and a bad run of results. “What I know of Chelsea is that the fans back up the team, but the team has to show it first”.

On the prospect of 37-year-old Drogba returning to Chelsea, Hiddink said: “I worked with him five or six years ago and I was delighted to have such a professional in the squad”. It is not easy after a championship. “It’s important to have club icons working for you”.

He is said to have recommended Pellegrini to club owner Roman Abramovich before Mourinho returned in 2013, and he has again tipped the Chilean for the job with financial terms and a pre-contract deal said to have been discussed with Pellegrini’s representatives. If they don’t have that desire then I will say: “Thank you very much”. “He’s done it before for them over a short period of time and they’ll see that and he’ll probably enjoy doing that as well, so it’s probably a good fit”. However, they are capable of defying the odds and finish in the top four this season if they perform at their very best in the second half of the season.

“Yesterday i talked fully to the squad”, added Hiddink. We talked a little bit about the past and why I’m here. “But I also told them things happen in football and I want everyone to look themselves in the mirror, for not just a second but for a long time, to see what anyone from now on can contribute to the way up”.

Nemanja Matic insists reports he had a bad relationship with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho were written by “idiots”.

Guardiola’s decision to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season was confirmed on the weekend, with City the front-runners to sign the former Barcelona manager after his public declaration of wanting to work in the Premier League at some point in his career combined with his positive relationships with City officials Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano.

“If you stand and are photographed will all the trophies last season you have to stand by the troubles this season”, Holland told Chelsea TV. He’s a key captain of the national team. It also allows Drogba to continue to play the game he loves while also preparing for life after his career as a player.

If Allardyce’s side are to get out of trouble, they will need to make sure that they start putting in 90 minute performances, as they are in dire need of victories.