Chelsea players fear they have already blown Premier League title defence

• Chelsea have endured horror start to the season and have lost three games
• Blues' latest defeat came against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday 
• Chelsea denied John Terry and Diego Costa were involved in bust-up
• Stan Collymore later  apologised after making the accusation about the duo

Chelsea players fear they have already blown their chance of retaining the Barclays Premier League title  

Chelsea players fear they have already blown their chance of retaining the Barclays Premier League title as they prepare to start their Champions League campaign on Tuesday.

Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Everton left Jose Mourinho’s side 11 points adrift of leaders Manchester City after just five games.

And dressing-room sources suggest some members of the squad have admitted the gap could be too big to close, particularly with key members of the team struggling for form. 

  

Defeat at Everton on Saturday leaves Jose Mourinho's side 11 points adrift of leaders Manchester City 

Mourinho is refusing to panic, and has held no crisis meetings ahead of the Champions League clash at home to Maccabi Tel Aviv.

But morale is poor after the worst start by any side defending the Premier League title for the last 20 years, with reports that jokes and banter are in short supply at the club’s Cobham training ground.

To add to the turmoil, an allegation by talkSPORT pundit Stan Collymore that John Terry and Diego Costa were involved in a training-ground bust-up was denied by Chelsea on Monday, then withdrawn by the former England striker.

Collymore apologised for suggesting the pair had clashed at Chelsea's Cobham training base.

Chelsea have denied allegations that John Terry and Diego Costa were involved in a training ground bust-up

Costa and Terry have cut frustrated figures this season with Chelsea losing three of their opening games

 

Radio pundit and former Premier League striker Stan Collymore apologised after making the claim