Andre Villas-Boas Confident Job At Chelsea Is Safe

The pressure is increasing on manager Andre Villas-Boas following Chelsea's damaging home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday. The club's third defeat in four league games leaves them 12 points behind the league leaders Manchester City and on current form it is difficult to see them clawing their way back into the title race. In the aftermath of the match Villas-Boas quashed reports that his position was under threat and that the Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, was concerned by the below-par start to the season. It has certainly been a difficult couple of weeks for the former Porto coach who has seen his odds cut from 20/1 to just 8/1 in the Next Premier League Manager To Be Sacked Betting.

Last week rumours were rife that Guus Hiddink was being lined up to return to Chelsea in some capacity after he left his post as Turkey boss. The Dutchman not only has a close relationship with Abramovich but he is a hugely popular figure at the club after impressing during his six months in charge as caretaker manager back in 2009. Villas-Boas is the seventh manager of the Abramovich era and history tells us that the Chelsea owner is not afraid to send a manager packing if results and performances do not match up to his high standards. The Russian billionaire will no doubt be slightly worried at recent results and also at the form of £50m striker Fernando Torres who is still struggling to make an impact at the Blues.

Stan James have now opened up a Next Chelsea Manager betting market, with former boss Hiddink the favourite. Other names that feature in the odds include Perp Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Martin O'Neill. Chelsea have the chance to bounce straight back from the Liverpool defeat when they travel to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday. Chelsea currently Group G with eight points but anything other than a win against the German club could possibly blow the group wide open. Stan James have Chelsea as the 21/20 favourites for the win while Leverkusen can be backed at 13/5 with a draw priced at 15/5.

All odds courtesy of Stan James.