Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has again seen his position come under scrutiny amid reports the board are considering how best to tackle the current shortcomings on the pitch.
The Blues host Sunderland on Saturday just a point above the relegation zone in 16th place following defeat at Leicester on Monday night, which was a ninth for the defending Barclays Premier League champions.
In the aftermath of the 2-1 loss at the King Power Stadium, Mourinho felt his "work was betrayed" by the players not following his directions on how to nullify the Foxes' attack, with Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez both on target.
In October, Chelsea issued a statement of the club's "full support" behind Mourinho, but accepted "results have not been good enough and the team's performances must improve."
Mourinho has now presided over the west London club's worst start to a season since 1978, at the end of which Chelsea were relegated.
The Portuguese coach p enned a new four-year deal in the summer, and is has been suggested he would be entitled to a multi- million pound severance package were owner Roman Abramovich and the rest of the Chelsea board to decide to dispense with his services.
The likes of Pep Guardiola, Diego Simeone and Antonio Conte have all been touted as potential successors, although an interim appointment would perhaps be more likely as a stop-gap until the end of the season, with options such as former managers Carlo Ancelotti and Guus Hiddink.
Should results go against Chelsea this weekend, then the west London club could end up in the bottom three for Christmas.
Midfielder Cesc Fabregas insists there can be no excuses as Chelsea attempt to turn around their season.
"We all have to take responsibility. If you are a big player and you are paid like a big player, you must play like a big player and behave like a big player," he said.
"I am not saying you can't have a bad season and bad games. We all have - big players and small players. But the attitude has to always be spot on. We must always be at the top of our games, and the behaviour has to be better than what we are seeing right now from every single Chelsea player."
Fabregas added: "We can bounce back, 100%. There is enough time to achieve it, but we must start now. It is up to us.
"We cannot win the Premier League right now, but come on, we all have to do better.
"Right now is not the time to think of where we might finish, we've been saying it nearly all season.
"I just think I want to beat Sunderland, play my best and that's it. Right now, no one is easy as it shows. We've put ourselves in this position so we have to now prove - we really, really, really have to now start winning."