Maurizio Sarri’s fate as Chelsea head coach is set to be decided in the next fortnight with the Italian facing an uphill battle to stop the players giving up on him.

And Telegraph Sport understands that Sarri is under pressure to try to win the Europa League, which restarts this week, with Champions League qualification rated more important than the Carabao Cup or FA Cup.

Sarri took training on Monday, despite facing increased scrutiny following Chelsea’s humiliating 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City.

Chelsea now face a season-defining run of fixtures, starting with Thursday night’s Europa League trip to Malmo. They then face Manchester United in the FA Cup, Malmo in the second leg, City in the final of the Carabao Cup and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on February 27.

Having slipped to sixth in the Premier League table, the Europa League could represent Chelsea’s best chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.