Chelsea crisis: bookies slash Mourinho odds as Arsenal wait

Jose Mourinho faces one of the biggest tests of his managerial career this week as crisis club Chelsea face crucial matches in Europe and the Premier League.

The Blues have endured their worst start to a season since 1986 and are already 11 points behind Premier League pace setters Manchester City, following their defeat to Everton on Saturday.

But there is no time for Mourinho to lick his wounds as the challenges come thick and fast. First up is the visit of Maccabi Tel Aviv to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday in the Blues' opening Champions League match of the season, a game that Chelsea are expected to win with ease.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Three days later Chelsea host Arsenal in the Premier League and defeat to the Gunners would leave Chelsea trailing their London rivals by nine points just six games into the campaign. It would also be a sweet moment for Arsene Wenger, who would dearly love to twist the knife after years of suffering at the hands of Mourinho.

No wonder that following Chelsea's 3-1 defeat to Everton on Saturday, Jose Mourinho was asked if he felt his job was in peril, given Roman Abramovich's penchant for firing managers. "I am not feeling pressure," replied Mourinho. "I am the man for the job. I don't think there is better man who could come and do my job."

A hat-trick from Steven Naismith sent Chelsea crashing to their third defeat of the season at Goodison Park, and Mourinho admitted he had no doubt some people would take pleasure in seeing his side struggle. "I know that a lot of people are happy that after so many years to see me in a situation like this," he told reporters. "Fair play. Enjoy. But I will enjoy my day tomorrow, again working hard as always thinking that on Wednesday we can win."

Mourinho didn't try to blame his players for the defeat against Everton, instead putting the run of bad results down to misfortune. "Everything goes against us, we know we are making mistakes and every mistake goes against us," he said. "I don't accept the results, I am responsible for the team, I am not happy with the situation and I am not happy with myself."

But there's no doubt that confidence is low right now at Stamford Bridge and Mourinho is aware how important it will be to win well against the minnows of Tel Aviv before welcoming an Arsenal side who beat Chelsea in the Community Shield last month and are unbeaten in their last four league matches. "Chelsea can win the next match against Arsenal for sure," he said, although he was less bullish when asked if believed the Blues could still overhaul Manchester City, who are four points clear at the top of their table following their 1-0 win away at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

"It is out of our control," he said. "To win the title, it will depend on us to improve the results but also on other clubs who are above us to lose matches. Even if we win every game between now and the end of season, we still depend on other results."

Chelsea's shocking start to the season - their worst since 1986 - has already led to speculation among the tabloids that he could be gone by Christmas. According to the Evening Standard, one bookmaker has slashed the odds "with Mourinho now 7-2 to depart Stamford Bridge before the end of the year and 5-2 to go before the end of the season."