AND SO WILL I

Jose: Roman won’t sack me even if Blues miss out on the top four

DEFIANT Jose Mourinho believes Roman Abramovich will keep him as Chelsea boss – even if the club finish outside the top four.

The Special One, who has confirmed he will appeal his FA fine for criticising referees, faces Aston Villa today with opposite number Tim Sherwood also under pressure.

Despite four defeats so far, Mourinho maintained his job is safe. No Premier League team with eight points from eight games – as Chelsea have – has ever finished in the top four.

However, the Blues boss has rec e ived backing from Abramovich (right) and once again held talks with his injury-hit squad ahead of today’s must-win match.

Asked whether he will remain in his position come what may, he said: “Yes.” Asked whether he had been given assurances to that effect, he added: “No. I was not told that because we don’t expect to finish mid-table.”

But Mourinho continued: “At the beginning of the season I said this championship is so dangerous that, two years ago, Manchester United were out of the top four.

“Last year Liverpool were out of the top four. And this year somebody will be out of the top four. Somebody can be Chelsea, Liverpool, Man an United, Man City, Arsenal.

“Somebody will be out. Do I think it’s Chelsea? No, I don’t think it’s Chelsea. But I said in pre-season, when everybody had zero points, that there’s a big risk because the competition is very difficult.”

Did he fear he would be sacked after last month’s defeat to Southampton? “No,” he said. “I met the owner before dinner so, when I went to dinner, I knew. But even before that, I knew what brought me here. I know the conversation we had two years ago.

“I knew what made me sign a new contract, and the reasons the owner and board decided to give me it. They didn’t have to. I still had two years, so they did didn’t have to give me a n new contract. So what I k know is what I know from them.”

Former Chelsea boss C Carlo Ancelotti, who led the club to the Double before being sacked in 2011, has admitted he is ready to come back to the Premier League after leaving Real Madrid.

But Mourinho added: “That’s his problem. Maybe he wants to come to West Ham, to Arsenal, to Chelsea, to a club in London, to Watford.

“Maybe he doesn’t want London and goes north. I don’t know. I cannot speak for Carlo.”