AVB: I’m not alone

THE doomsayers may warn that Andre Villas-Boas will be out of a job if Chelsea fail to beat Wolves today but the manager insists he retains the complete backing of Roman Abramovich and Chelsea’s players, despite his nightmare start to life at Stamford Bridge.

Villas-Boas shrugged off the mounting pressure on him following the Blues’ worst beginning to a campaign since Abramovich bought the club eight years ago. Speculation is rife Villas-Boas could be sacked if he fails to arrest a slump that has seen Chelsea slide out of the Premier League top four and in danger of failing to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

There have also been reports of player unrest at the tactical changes made by the 34-year-old, who was tasked by Abramovich with getting the club to play more like Barcelona.