Chelsea's Mourinho abandons hope of top four finish

 

Dec 15 (Reuters) - Leicester City 2-1 Premier League victory over Chelsea has killed manager Jose Mourinho's hopes of finishing in the top four this season.

Goals from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez consigned Chelsea to their ninth league defeat of the season on Monday, leaving the London club a point above the relegation zone and 14 adrift of the Champions League places.

"The top four is gone -- clearly," Mourinho said.

"To turn things around, I know only one way -- working at the top level."

The Portuguese turned on his players after the defeat, saying he felt "betrayed" and frustrated, but insisted he would not seek to buy the team out of trouble by signing fresh faces in the January transfer window.

"Day by day in training I have no complaints with them. But is it frustrating to see what they are doing in training and what they do in matches? Clearly yes," he said.

"I don't think it is right I go to the board and say these players are not good and we need to spend 50 or 100 (million pounds) or whatever.

"We have these players and it is with these players we have to go, and the players that are not performing well must feel attacked in their pride, in their self-esteem and they have to do everything to get results in a humble way."

Eden Hazard left the pitch in the first half after a challenge from Vardy and Mourinho said the midfielder had taken the decision not to continue.

"I don't know what is wrong. He made the decision in a few seconds," the manager said.

"His first reaction was 'I can't continue', his second reaction was 'I want to try', but after his first step back on the pitch he said he couldn't. He's injured clearly."

The win sent Leicester back to the top of the table, two points clear of second-placed Arsenal.