Maurizio Sarri could be forgiven for shuddering with trepidation whenever his phone beeps over the next few days. The established routine at Chelsea is that after long periods of silence and apparent lack of interest from Roman Abramovich when the team are doing well, the owner will suddenly become actively involved in the running of the club when results slump, sending repeated text messages to the head coach seeking explanations for the decline.

After presiding over Chelsea’s heaviest Premier League defeat for 23 years, when his side were beaten 4-0 away to Bournemouth on Wednesday night, falling out of the top four in the process, Sarri has entered the text message danger zone. His job is not thought to be under immediate threat but