Chelsea: 'Manager Jose Mourinho has our full support'

Chelsea have insisted that manager Jose Mourinho still has the "full support" of the club.

Saturday's 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Southampton on Saturday evening has left the champions in 16th position, 10 points adrift of leaders Manchester City.

After the match, Mourinho stressed that he would not resign and added that if he was to leave Stamford Bridge, the club would have to sack him.

However, despite having acknowledged in a statement that results "must improve", the Blues revealed that there were no plans to relieve the 52-year-old of his duties.

"The club wants to make it clear that Jose continues to have our full support," it read.

"As Jose has said himself, results have not been good enough and the team's performances must improve. However, we believe that we have the right manager to turn this season around and that he has the squad with which to do it."

Eight points from as many outings has meant that Chelsea have made their worst start to a season since 1978-79.