Chelsea’s players are desperate to save Antonio Conte from suffering the same fate as Jose Mourinho, according to Thibaut Courtois.
Reigning champions Chelsea have already lost three league games this term and reports last week suggested the dressing room was turning against manager Conte.
The Blues were 2-1 down at home to Watford on Saturday, increasingly speculation that Conte would be sacked if going on to suffer three straight league defeats.
But Chelsea came back to clinch a much-needed 4-2 victory and Courtois insists his team-mates are ready to fight to save Conte’s job at Stamford Bridge.
‘We are ready to fight for the coach,’ Belgium goalkeeper Courtois told the Evening Standard.
‘I remember what happened two years ago under Jose Mourinho and things started to be said, there were stories about the dressing room without knowing what was happening.
‘We are happy to show that we are ready to fight. We all know what would have happened [more debate over Conte’s future] if we had lost against Watford.
‘There was a moment when we were 2-1 down, we were having difficulties and Watford could have made it 4-1. It was very important to come back to win.
‘In 2015 [under Mourinho] we wanted to fight as well but the game didn’t turn out well for us, there was too much bad luck. Sometimes different things happened.
‘But we are showing we want to fight again now, firstly as a group of players. We want to win games.’
Courtois added: ‘We don’t want to lose and say we don’t care anymore. We want to fight for ourselves, too. It is important for us.
‘Some of us remember what happened two years ago and we don’t want the same thing to happen.’
The victory over Watford ensured Chelsea remained fourth in the Premier League, nine points adrift of leaders Manchester City. Conte’s side face Everton in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before taking on Bournemouth in the league at the weekend.
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