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Jose Mourinho has told his players he should have sold some of them in the summer.

And the Chelsea boss is now facing a battle to keep his stars onside after pointing the finger of blame at them publicly too, claiming they “betrayed” him in Monday’s defeat at Leicester.

Mourinho is staying in his role - for now - despite his reigning Premier League champions' season plummeting to a new low.

The Leicester loss, their ninth in 16 league games, left them just a point above the RELEGATION zone and Mourinho under huge pressure.

The 52-year-old believes a top four finish this season - and Champions League qualification - is already beyond his side with 22 matches still to play, a confession that has caused alarm among the Blues board, along with Chelsea’s dreadful domestic form.

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A lack of available top-level alternatives has helped keep Mourinho in the job when his future has been discussed by the top brass.

Last week’s win over Porto, which sealed as place in the last-16 of the Champions League, also bought him more time.

But while he retains enough support among the hierarchy to keep his job for now, Mourinho is in danger of losing it among his players.

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A number of them have under-performed badly this season and look shadows of the players who inspired the west London club to the title last year.

And Mourinho has told his squad he feels he was too soft in the summer and should have moved some of them on before their form started to dip.

Flashback — Chelsea's 2014-15 Premier League victory parade:

He is understood to have been prepared to shoulder the blame earlier in the season as he assessed his side’s struggles. But, as the campaign and Chelsea’s woes have continued, he has now concluded his players are at fault.

Their ability to produce results and performances in some games but not show up for others have strengthened his belief.

Mourinho has called out individual players at various points during the season but his frustration with his squad as a whole boiled over when he slammed them publicly and at length after the Leicester defeat.

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He said: “One of my best qualities is that I can read the game and identify the strengths of the opponent and tell my players what they are. So it it is a big frustration to accept the goals [Leicester scored] because my work was betrayed, if that is the right word.

In pictures — Leicester 1-2 Chelsea:

“In the situations I identify, we concede the first and second goal. The mistakes were there.

“One possibility is that I did an amazing job last season and brought the players to a level that is not their level and now they can’t maintain it.”

Mourinho’s treatment of controversial striker Diego Costa is believed to be another source of friction.

Some members of Chelsea’s squad are believed to feel Spain international striker Costa gets away with things others wouldn’t be allowed to.

The 27-year-old admitted he returned for pre-season overweight, but went unpunished.

He also had a public bust-up with Mourinho during last month’s Champions League clash with Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

Costa was also the last of Chelsea’s out-of-form stars to be dropped, despite being arguably one of their least effective players this season.

And when he was benched against Tottenham, Costa produced another public show of dissent, chucking his substitute's bib in Mourinho’s direction when he didn’t get on - an action that also went unpunished.

Mourinho has admitted this season that he has treated Costa differently and given him leeway with “little things”.

Eden Hazard is expected to be available for Saturday’s game with fellow strugglers Sunderland after going off with a bruised hip on Monday.

To the frustration of Mourinho, the reigning players' and writers' footballer of the year told his manager he couldn’t continue once he suffered the injury.

Time Line Jose Mourinho's downward spiral July 16th Chelsea report for pre-season training, a week later than their rivals. July 29th Beat Barcelona on penalties in the final game of their pre-season tour of America, just four days before they are due to play Arsenal at Wembley. August 2nd Lose 1-0 to Arsenal in the Community Shield, as Arsene Wenger gets his first win over Mourinho in 13 attempts. 8th August Chelsea open their season with a 2-2 draw at home to Swansea - but the game is marred by Mourinho’s criticism of club doctor Eva Carneiro and head physiotherapist Jon Fearn, who rushed onto the pitch to treat injured Eden Hazard. 16th August Chelsea suffer a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Manchester City. Skipper John Terry is subbed at half-time. 23rd August John Terry keeps his place in the starting XI for the trip to West Brom - but is sent off after 54 minutes. The Blues escape with a narrow 3-2 win. 29th August The Blues lose 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace in what is only Mourinho’s second home defeat in 100 league games at Stamford Bridge. 19th September Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Arsenal marred by Diego Costa’s spat with Gabriel, which saw the Arsenal defender sent off. 22nd September Eva Carneiro leaves her position of first-team doctor at Chelsea. 29th September Loses to his former side Porto in the Champions League. 30th September The FA clear Mourinho of making discriminatory comments towards Carneiro. 3rd October The Portuguese goes on a seven-minute rant following his side’s 3-1 loss against Southampton, claiming that referees are “afraid” to give Chelsea any decisions. Says he will not walk away from Chelsea and will have to be sacked if they want rid of him. Subs Matic off after 20 minutes. 5th October The club give Jose Mourinho a vote of confidence following their poor start to the season. 14th October Slapped with a one-match suspended stadium ban and £50,000 fine following his post-Southampton rant. 15th October Calls his £50,000 fine and suspended stadium ban a “disgrace” then has another pop at Arsene Wenger at the launch for his new book. 17th October Leaves last year's player of the season Eden Hazard on the bench, claiming the playmaker needs to work harder to win his place back in the team. 19th October Reignites feud with TV pundits - “You need to be brave to criticise my history” 20th October Footage emerges of Mourinho appearing to shove schoolboy on London street. He later denied intimidating the youth. 21st October Blands referee Damir Skomina “weak and naive” following Chelsea’s goalless draw with Dynamo Kiev - another dig at Arsene Wenger, who used the exact words against Mike Dean but went unpunished by the FA. 24th October Mourinho sent to the stands during a fiery 2-1 loss at West Ham, which leaves the Blues in 15th place after ten games. 27th October The Blues crash out of the Capital One Cup, losing on penalties to ten-man Stoke. 31st October Chelsea are beaten 3-1 at Stamford Bridge by Liverpool as the pressure on Mourinho increases. After the game he delivers a bizarre post-match interview, repeatedly answering questions with: "I have nothing to say". 2nd November Mourinho handed a one-match stadium ban and fined £40,000 for his behaviour during the West Ham defeat. 7th November Chelsea lose their seventh Premier League game of the season, as they go down 1-0 at Stoke. Mourinho serves out his stadium ban. 29th November Diego Costa is dropped to the bench and appeared to petulantly throw a bib at Mourinho. The champions are held to a goalless draw at Tottenham. 5th December The pressure is cranked up further on Mourinho after his side lose 1-0 at home to injury-hit Premier League new boys Bournemouth. 14th December A NINTH league defeat of the season, this time to Leicester, comes days after the Blues qualify for the Champions League knockout stages. Vardy and Mahrez consign Mourinho's men to another defeat, and the Chelsea boss says afterwards he feels "betrayed" by his players, hinting at a dressing room revolt. 17th December SACKED - With the Blues continued struggles showing no sign of abating, Chelsea have decided to part company with Mourinho less than seven months after winning the Premier League title.