MOURINHO SAFE: CHELSEA OPT AGAINST SACKING JOSE

GOALBy Greg Stobart

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will not be sacked during the international break after owner Roman Abramovich decided against making a change at this stage of the season.

Goal understands that Abramovich is reluctant to remove Mourinho now due to a lack of available replacements, with top targets Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone unavailable mid-season.

Mourinho is under huge pressure with Chelsea sitting 16th in the Premier League table and many players understood to have turned against the Portuguese.

Last season’s champions have lost seven of their 12 league fixtures this season, the latest a 1-0 defeat to Stoke City on Saturday during which Mourinho served a one-match stadium ban.

Chelsea backed Mourinho with an unprecedented vote of confidence last month but have since lost three of their four Premier League matches and been knocked out of the League Cup.