Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez has insisted that the players at the club are behind him despite reports of a dressing room bust-up.

The Blues fell to their second defeat in three Premier League games against Manchester City, which leaves them seven points adrift of Roberto Mancini's side in second place.

He told reporters: "Disappointment is normal but I can guarantee the players know what we're trying to do and believe in what we're trying to do, 100%.

"The players are fully behind our ideas. I can guarantee that. Sometimes we're doing better or worse, but normally we're scoring goals and conceding less than before. We have a better balance, but we can still improve."

Chelsea are next in action against Middlesbrough in their fifth-round FA Cup clash.