Asmir Begovic Backs Mourinho

Jose Mourinho retains the support of Chelsea’s players despite the Premier League champions crashing to a seventh defeat of the campaign at Stoke City on Saturday, goalkeeper Asmir Begovic said.
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Marko Arnautovic gave Stoke a 1-0 win with a spectacular 53rd-minute volley as Mark Hughes’s men condemned Chelsea to their third successive league defeat, which left them three points above the relegation zone in 16th place.
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Mourinho, absent from the Britannia Stadium due to a stadium ban, faces intensifying speculation that Chelsea’s woes will lead to him being sacked by owner Roman Abramovich for a second time.
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But Begovic told Sky Sports: “That is out of our hands. We are behind the manager. You can see that from our performances. We think he is the right man and someone we work hard for.
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“We wanted to get a result for him. His spirit and his presence is always there.”
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Mourinho, 52, was banned from setting foot in any part of the stadium complex by the Football Association after berating referee Jon Moss at halftime of his side’s recent defeat at West Ham United.
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He reportedly watched the match on television at the nearby Crewe Hall Hotel, where Chelsea had stayed on Friday evening after travelling north from London.
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In his absence, assistant first-team coaches Steve Holland, Silvino Louro and Rui Faria took charge of Chelsea, but Begovic was the only member of the visitors’ party who spoke to the media after the game.
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The Bosnian international, who joined Chelsea from Stoke during the close season, said that Mourinho had given the team talk at the hotel prior to the squad’s departure.
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The Portuguese may have been absent in body, but there was still ample support for him from the large contingent of travelling fans.
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They chanted Mourinho’s name throughout the game, while a number wore Mourinho masks to show their support.
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With the international break arriving next week, Chelsea will not return to action until their home game with Norwich City on November 21.