Liam Rosenior confident he has ‘100 per cent’ backing from Chelsea owners

FEELING BLUE: Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior reacts on the touchline. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.

Liam Rosenior believes he still has the full support of Chelsea’s owners as he battles to put the club’s ailing Champions League qualification push back on track.

The Blues have fallen seven points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool in the Premier League on the back of losing four games in a row without scoring.

Boos greeted the full-time whistle following Saturday evening’s 1-0 Stamford Bridge loss to Manchester United after some supporters staged a street protest against owners BlueCo ahead of kick-off.

Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali last week said the club were still behind Rosenior and remained optimistic about long-term success under his management.

Asked if felt that support, Blues head coach Rosenior, who replaced Enzo Maresca in January, said: “One hundred per cent.

“They have been supportive of me in our daily conversations, they have been magnificent in their support of me and the team.

“We’re aligned that we know we need to win games of football in the now, but that doesn’t go against what we’re trying to do, which is give consistent success to this club long-term.” Chelsea will bid to halt their alarming slump at ninth-placed Brighton on Tuesday evening.

With just three points separating the Blues and Fulham in 12th, Rosenior’s side are in danger of missing out on European football altogether.

“We’ve made it very difficult for ourselves,” he said of their Champions League aspirations. “We have to be honest and realistic with that.

“But what we can’t do is give up. We have to keep fighting. We have to make sure we go to Brighton with similar attributes to what I saw against Manchester United in terms of our energy, our intensity and engagement to the game, which was good.

“But we didn’t keep a clean sheet and we didn’t take advantage of the chances, so we need to be more clinical and more ruthless in both boxes.” Rosenior revealed defender Wesley Fofana has apologised for his reaction to being substituted against United.

The 25-year-old centre-back, who will be considered for selection at the Amex Stadium, ignored Chelsea’s coaching staff as he left the pitch.

“Wes is a very emotional character, in a good way – I love him,” said Rosenior.

“He’s not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. I’ve spoken to him about it, and he’s just disappointed that we’re losing a game.

“I think he could have shown that emotion in a better way. That’s something I’ve spoken about.

“The optics on that is not the reality. The reality is I’ve got a really good group, who are working really, really hard for me and the staff and for the club.

“At the moment, the results aren’t going that way and then people start reading more into it than what it actually is.

“Wes apologised for his reaction. These are young players that are going to make mistakes in the moment.”

Chelsea’s 19-goal top scorer Joao Pedro faces a late fitness test ahead of a potential return to former club Brighton after missing the United defeat with a thigh issue.

Midfielder Enzo Fernandez is fit to feature following an injury scare but winger Estevao is definitely out, due to a hamstring problem sustained at the weekend.