Benitez says he has Abramovich’s support

Under-fire interim manager Rafael Benitez believes he still has the full support of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and the club’s board.

The Blues are yet to win since Benitez controversially replaced Roberto Di Matteo at Stamford Bridge.

And Saturday’s 3-1 defeat against West Ham prompted speculation that his position is already under threat.

However, Benitez is convinced he will be given time to turn things around.

He said: “I cannot speak to him [Abramovich] every day because it’s not normal.

“But I was spending a lot of time with him over the last 10 days and after this [West Ham] game people obviously close to him were talking with me.

“Everyone has the same impression – the first half was so good and the second was something we have to analyse and that is my job.”

And the Spaniard is convinced Chelsea have made significant progress in their three matches under him.

Two goalless draws were followed by Saturday’s second-half capitulation at Upton Park, which Benitez says they will learn from.

“If you analyse the three games, the team was doing a lot of good things,” he insisted.

“The first two games were clean sheets and that was a positive for me and a good point to start building something.

“We conceded goals against West Ham but maybe we deserved to win that game more than the others – we had chances and could have scored two or three more goals.

“If you look at results, you see that they are continuing in the same way as the last month or two.

“But I think the positive thing is that the team were stronger in defence in the first two games and the first half of the other game.

“We have to analyse the problems we had in the second half. We have to manage in a better way against teams that are strong physically.

“There are a lot of positives and things we can still improve.”

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