Under pressure Conte sends players on leave as Luis Enrique is linked to Stamford Bridge job

Chelsea coach Antonio Conte has given his players a two-day leave after 4-1 thrashing by Watford at Vacarage Road on Monday night. English champions had encountered dwindling fate after midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent off at the half-hour mark before Watford won a penalty to get the lead.

Eden Hazard leveled the scores, rattling the Hornets to pump three goals past helpless, dejected and awful Chelsea side, handing Blues a rare grotesque defeat.

While speaking to the media shortly after the game, Conte blamed the poor performance on fatigue of the players. As a result, he has allowed his squad to take two days off before resuming training ahead of clash with West Brom next week on Monday.

Apart from citing ‘fear’ of players, the Italian also blamed himself for settling on a costly approach in terms of selection of the team that crashed in the last fixture.

Meanwhile, rumours are mounting over his prospective sacking with various managers being lined up to take up his job at Stamford bridge.

Former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique is the favourite to replace Antonio Conte .

Several bookmakers suspended betting on the Chelsea boss being the next Premier League manager to be sacked after his side were crushed by Watford on Monday night,

And Luis Enrique, who has been out of work since leaving the Catalan giants last year, heads the replacement market.

Former Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked by Bayern Munich earlier this season, is joint-second favourite alongside Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri.

Sarri has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave the Serie A leaders for £7million - but Napoli are meeting him this week in a bid to re-negotiate his deal.

Another former Stamford Bridge boss Guus Hiddink is priced at 6/1 with Betfair while Germany manager Joachim Loew is 8/1.

Monday's defeat leaves Conte, who heading into the game had called on the Chelsea hierarchy to offer him a public show of support, in a more difficult position with his reigning champions now only one point clear of fifth-placed Tottenham.

Conte, however, remained defiant: "I hope that, tonight, for once you understand me. I'm not worried. I'm not worried about my job.

"I have great disappointment, for sure. Our performance was very poor tonight.

"We started very badly and without personality. We played with fear. I think so. We are not used to playing this type of football."

The Italian went on to say he would not lose any sleep over the ongoing, and intense, speculation regarding his future at the club.

"It's very difficult because, every day and every press conference, you ask me if I'm worried. No. I'm not worried. Tomorrow is another day. I can be the Chelsea coach or not.

"I go to sleep without a problem that maybe, maybe, I could do this or that. I try to do everything. If it's not good, the club can make a different decision. Life goes on.

"We can lose, but always we have to try to play football and to try to be positive. It's right, everyone must take responsibility: me, the players."