Gary Cahill
Chelsea captain Gary Cahill has backed manager Antonio Conte and says the players need to “look in the mirror” following their 4-1 loss at Watford.
After the Blues’ second straight three-goal defeat, Conte said “the club have to take another decision” if they think he is not doing a good enough job.
The defending champions are now fourth in the Premier League, 19 points behind leaders Manchester City.
“Whatever is decided, the players have to take responsibility,” Cahill said.
“The manager has done an absolutely unbelievable job.”
Conte guided Chelsea to the league title in his debut season but his future has repeatedly been questioned since losing to Burnley on the opening day of the current campaign.
Defender Cahill, who has won the league twice in six years with the Blues, said Monday’s defeat at Vicarage Road was the club’s “lowest point of the season”.
“This is the worst I’ve felt for quite a while,” he told BBC Sport. “Performance-wise, I didn’t recognise us or myself. It was abysmal.