Carlo Ancelotti is facing a fight for Chelsea survival as the Blues' season stands on the brink of implosion.
Sunday's 1-1 draw at Blackburn left Chelsea, already out of the Champions League after being humiliated by Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, third in the table and four points behind Manchester United with a game in hand.
But as Ancelotti was rocked by the news that Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic is set to miss the next month with a knee ligament injury sustained at Ewood Park, the pressure on the Italian was mounting as he prepared for the three week spell that will define his reign.
Senior figures close to Roman Abramovich were last night pointing fingers at Ancelotti, rather than his players, for the run of just five wins in their last 11 games in all competitions and 10 points dropped out of the past 21.
It means Ancelotti's future is on the line unless he can conjure a winning run over the next five games, starting at Portsmouth on Wednesday and including the Easter Saturday visit to Old Trafford and the FA Cup semi-final clash with Aston Villa.
Members of the Stamford Bridge hierarchy are concerned that the series of lackluster and limited displays of recent weeks has now become a trend rather than isolated events.
And unless the former AC Milan coach can turn around the confidence and form of his players to ensure Chelsea take their fight for the title all the way to May 9, he could become the sixth manager to leave the club since 2004 this summer.
Abramovich is understood to be concerned that Ancelotti and his players are failing to respond to the gravity of the situation, with the tame and tepid second half performance at Blackburn indicative of a lack of drive and desire.
Unlike last term, when Luis Felipe Scolari was dismissed amid fears that Chelsea were poised to fall out of the top four, there is no question of Ancelotti being removed before the end of the season.
But the Italian, who cut a stressed and crestfallen figure at Blackburn, is under huge pressure to prove he is the right man for the job, starting at Fratton Park on Wednesday.
Sunday's 1-1 draw at Blackburn left Chelsea, already out of the Champions League after being humiliated by Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, third in the table and four points behind Manchester United with a game in hand.
But as Ancelotti was rocked by the news that Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic is set to miss the next month with a knee ligament injury sustained at Ewood Park, the pressure on the Italian was mounting as he prepared for the three week spell that will define his reign.
Senior figures close to Roman Abramovich were last night pointing fingers at Ancelotti, rather than his players, for the run of just five wins in their last 11 games in all competitions and 10 points dropped out of the past 21.
It means Ancelotti's future is on the line unless he can conjure a winning run over the next five games, starting at Portsmouth on Wednesday and including the Easter Saturday visit to Old Trafford and the FA Cup semi-final clash with Aston Villa.
Members of the Stamford Bridge hierarchy are concerned that the series of lackluster and limited displays of recent weeks has now become a trend rather than isolated events.
And unless the former AC Milan coach can turn around the confidence and form of his players to ensure Chelsea take their fight for the title all the way to May 9, he could become the sixth manager to leave the club since 2004 this summer.
Abramovich is understood to be concerned that Ancelotti and his players are failing to respond to the gravity of the situation, with the tame and tepid second half performance at Blackburn indicative of a lack of drive and desire.
Unlike last term, when Luis Felipe Scolari was dismissed amid fears that Chelsea were poised to fall out of the top four, there is no question of Ancelotti being removed before the end of the season.
But the Italian, who cut a stressed and crestfallen figure at Blackburn, is under huge pressure to prove he is the right man for the job, starting at Fratton Park on Wednesday.
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