More pressure on boss after Blues defeat

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas conceded he was under increased pressure following his team’s defeat at West Brom.

Gareth McAuley’s late winner at The Hawthorns came after fourth-placed Arsenal had won at Liverpool to move three points clear of the Blues.

It leaves Chelsea in serious danger of missing out on next season’s Champions League – and Villas-Boas in danger of the sack.

“Will this result increase pressure on me? You have to agree with it,” he admitted.

“We are in the same position, fifth, but are now three points behind Arsenal and it is a big, big disappointment.

“Am I the right man for the job? Yes. I wouldn’t have taken it if I didn’t think that.

“But this is bad. Ashley Cole was outstanding but the rest of us all under-performed from the management to the rest of the players.

“This defeat cannot be well taken. We did not perform and today it is acceptable that pressure piles on a bit more.”