Chelsea Interim Boss Insists Motivation Intact After Sixth PL Loss

Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane insisted Thursday that his players have not lost motivation despite a sixth straight Premier League defeat, a 3-1 home loss to Nottingham Forest on Monday that extended the club's worst league run since 1993.

The result at Stamford Bridge left Chelsea ninth in the standings with 48 points and four points behind sixth-placed Bournemouth with three matches remaining. Automatic qualification for next season's Champions League is now out of reach, though a slim chance remains if Aston Villa wins the Europa League and finishes fifth, potentially opening a spot for the sixth-placed team. Chelsea face Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday before the FA Cup final against Manchester City the following week.

McFarlane, in his second stint as caretaker boss this season following the sacking of Liam Rosenior last month, dismissed suggestions that his squad had "downed tools." "I would not agree with that," he said at his prematch news conference. "The performances haven't been good enough. We are in a really bad run at the moment. ... I see these boys every day, every training session, every meeting and in the gym. They are in a good place to go and attack...