Mourinho feels work was `betrayed`

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he felt his "work was betrayed" in the Blues` defeat by Leicester in the Premier League.

The defending champions suffered their ninth league defeat in 16 games with a 2-1 loss against the Foxes, who go top.

It leaves the club in 16th position, just a point above the relegation zone.

"One of my best qualities is to read the game for my players and I feel like my work was betrayed," said Portuguese boss Mourinho.

"One possibility is that I did an amazing job last season and brought the players to a level that is not their level and now they can`t maintain it."

Chelsea only lost three times in the whole of last season as they cantered to the title by eight points from Manchester City.

They now find themselves at the wrong end of the table and come up against second-bottom Sunderland on Saturday.

"I accept we are in the relegation zone but I don`t accept we are in a relegation battle," said Mourinho.

"You look at the table and we are there but you think you are in a relegation battle if you think you are there for three or four months. I don`t think that.

"To turn things around, I know only one way - working at the top level.

"Day by day in training I have no complaints with [players]. But it is frustrating to see what they are doing in training and what they do in matches."

Asked whether the Champions League spots were out of reach, he said: "We can`t finish top four, but we can still finish top six because so many teams are dropping points. At the moment we are in a zone where I feel ashamed." -BBC