Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic has claimed that the meeting between manager Andre Villas-Boas and a number of his players has had a positive impact on the squad.

Villas-Boas cancelled his players' day off following the Blues' 2-0 loss to Everton, a result which the Portuguese boss said was his side's worst performance since he had joined the club.

Some players were said to be angry about the decision, fuelling speculation over Villas-Boas's future, but Ivanovic has assured fans that the meeting has had a positive effect on the side.

"We had a couple of very good things come out of last weekend," he told the club's official website. "We sorted out a lot of problems and we have worked very hard in training as well.

"We are doing our best. It is a very hard period for us but we have to believe, we have to have trust in each other on the pitch and believe that better things will happen for us.

"It is very important to have communication between the manager and the players. For the players, it gives us confidence and we know what we're doing right and wrong. The meetings can help."

Chelsea must now turn their attention to the FA Cup fifth round, where they will face Birmingham City.