Maurizio Sarri is facing a virtually impossible task to save his job as Chelsea manager.
Players and coaching staff held a no-holds-barred dressing-room inquest following Monday’s 2-0 FA Cup defeat by Manchester United — a result that left Sarri on the brink of the sack.
The Italian took training as usual at the club’s Cobham HQ at 3pm on Tuesday, but the Chelsea board are almost resigned to replacing him.
Director Marina Granovskaia played a key role in the appointment of Sarri last summer, but following high-level talks on Tuesday there is acknowledgement among the Blues hierarchy that the end is near.