Source: PA
Players sticking together - Ancelotti
Under-fire Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti insists the woeful recent form which has all but eliminated his side from title contention has not broken the spirit of the squad.
The Blues slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Wolves to make it one win from their last nine Barclays Premier League games - their worst run since the 1995/96 season.
A miserable haul of 10 points from their last 11 outings has dropped Ancelotti's side nine points behind leaders Manchester United, having played a game more, and they face a fight to secure even a top-four place. That run of results has called Ancelotti's position into question.
He insisted after the match he did not fear the sack from owner Roman Abramovich, but anything other than a win at home to Ipswich in the FA Cup third round on Sunday could make the pressure on him almost unbearable. The former AC Milan boss, though, has urged his players not to lose confidence.
"The players are focused. They are working hard. They are staying together," he told Chelsea TV. "There are no problems (in the squad) - they have a good spirit.
"There are a lot of reasons that can explain this moment, but that doesn't matter. Now we have to look forward, to the next game. We have to prepare well and we have above all to maintain confidence at this moment. It's very easy now to lose confidence."
