Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has said that time is running out for Jose Mourinho to turn things around at the club.
The Blues slumped to their ninth league defeat of the season at Leicester City on Monday night, leaving them languishing just a point above the relegation zone after 16 games.
Mourinho has so far received unwavering support from Roman Abramovich, the fans and his players, but Cascarino is sceptical over how much longer that will continue unless results improve.
"It has got to the stage now where it is getting a lit bit embarrassing. Roman has done something he has never done before and that is back a manager. He has never backed one. And now we are looking and thinking, how long will this continue?" Cascarino told talkSPORT.
"They are not going to make Champions League football, as Jose said last night, so it feels like if it goes on there can be no alternative. You lose your job – that is Premier League football.
"If you fail, if you fall short of the demands of an owner, or of a football club, you have a wage bill that is second or first in the Premier League and you come 16th or 15th, then of course you have to lose your job."
Chelsea face Sam Allardyce's Sunderland at Stamford Bridge next Saturday knowing that defeat could see them drop into the bottom three.