Carragher: Some Chelsea players have ‘chucked it’

Jamie Carragher has backed Jose Mourinho and pointed the finger at Chelsea players for their disastrous season.

The reigning Premier League champions are now in 16th after Monday night defeat to Leicester and Mourinho was outspoken in his criticism of his players.

Carragher – appearing on Sky Sports alongside Frank Lampard – said: “I think what he meant by the word he used in ‘betrayed’, is that some of them have chucked it. This quality of player shouldn’t be performing like that.

“You can have a bad run – we’ve all had that as players – four or five games, sometimes it may be longer, once or twice in your career.

“When you look at the performances, he may think he’s right. Because if you look at them now, this is not a team being unlucky. They’re in the bottom six for goals scored and they’re in the bottom six for goals conceded. They are where they should be.

“In terms of the players, how they feel, I don’t think what he’s said tonight will affect that, I think that’s gone before.

“There’s obviously a big divide between the players and the manager and it’s up to Roman Abramovich. Whose side does he pick?

“They can’t come back together now and make Chelsea a great team and win things. I’d be very, very surprised if that happens next season.

“Either the manager won’t be there, or they’ll have to completely change the players because I don’t think there’s any way these players and manager can work together for a long period of time.

“He’s normally always taking the side of the players and it’s the manager whose gone. This can’t continue, something has to change.”