Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari insisted today that his players had to share the responsibility for the club's current bad run of form, writes Simon Johnson.

The Brazilian is under severe pressure after his side picked up just 10 points from their last eight League games and suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat against title rivals Manchester United.

Scolari, whose team face a tricky FA Cup third-round replay at Southend tomorrow night, also refused to confirm he has the full backing of the board following their worst League form under the Roman Abramovich era.

There was a lack of team spirit during their demise at Old Trafford on Sunday and constant reports of unrest in the dressing room - and Scolari said that the players have to take as much of the blame as he does.

He said: "We are all in the same boat. If Chelsea lose the game it is not just about Scolari, it's the whole Chelsea team. I think I have the squad behind me and it's important for me and for them.

"Spirit is not a problem, you just have to look at the first 45 minutes at Manchester United. The problem was the mistakes that we made.

"When we need to win we need more spirit, more togetherness. Sometimes to win you just need to shoot and run and it's not so technical.

Sometimes in my life and your life things go wrong and you need to change and we need to show more togetherness.”

The 60-year-old's position will be reassessed at the end of the season, but when asked directly about whether he has the backing of the club's hierarchy today, he said: “You need to ask the board. My job is every day here — it's normal.”

Scolari also denied he has fallen out with striker Nicolas Anelka after dropping him to the bench in recent weeks in favour of the
fit-again Didier Drogba.

He added: “All the people think it's very easy to play both because they are very good strikers but I have tried to prove to the people and for Chelsea that it is difficult.

“When one player is outside the team like Didier was, he needs to come back and play full games, and afterwards I then decide if it is this or that.

“There has been no row, it is my choice and it's normal if one plays and the other doesn't.”