LONDON Roman Abramovich has warned Andre Villas-Boas that a fourth-placed finish in the Barclays Premier League will not be good enough.
Chelsea’s AVB admits 4th is not enoughPlaying todayMan United vs Liverpool 14:45 Blackburn vs QPR 17:00 Bolton vs Wigan Everton vs Chelsea Fulham vs Stoke City Sunderland vs Arsenal Swansea City vs Norwich City Tottenham vs Newcastle 19:30 LONDONRoman Abramovich has warned Andre Villas-Boas that a fourth-placed finish in the Barclays Premier League will not be good enough.Abramovich stood on the training ground on Thursday to watch Villas-Boas at work for the fourth successive day. Chelsea’s billionaire benefactor wore an orange and black coach’s jacket as Villas-Boas prepared the team for Saturday’s trip to Everton.Abramovich has spent five of the last six days on the shoulders of the young manager, monitoring his relationship with the squad.Chelsea are fourth in the table, seven points behind third-placed Tottenham and 14 behind leaders Manchester City, but are still in the Champions League and FA Cup.Villas-Boas, 34, said: ‘Finishing fourth will not be honourable for a club of Chelsea’s size. Given their success, the owner has made it known. He is used to the club finishing first or being runners-up.‘The reality is that in the last few years there has been a pattern of managers shifting at this club. I’m not saying they paid with their jobs. It was because Roman decided that they should. End of story.‘When we set up at the start of the season, we believed that the team was ready for four trophies. At the moment, we have a Champions League objective because the Premier League objective is not possible.’