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AVB demands help from 'anxious' Chelsea fans

Maxi Rodriguez scored the first goal in Liverpool's 2-0 win © Getty Images

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Andre Villas-Boas has called on Chelsea's fans to rally behind his embattled team.

Chelsea suffered their second defeat to Liverpool in nine days to topple out of the Carling Cup at Stamford Bridge.

Villas-Boas is under added pressure following a poor run of results and he has admitted the mood at Stamford Bridge is anxious and he wants the fans to play their part.

"Away from home we've been more solid statistically and as a team. At home we just haven't been good enough," he said. "We need to get our fans behind us and get the emotions right. You can feel Stamford Bridge has become anxious.

"We therefore need support. We need atmosphere to get us past this period. We have two big games at home where we need our fans behind us and I'm sure they'll do exactly that.

"Our performance was not good today. Our best period was when it was already 2-0. Liverpool came very strong in the second half and caused us many problems. It's a pity because we had a good chance to progress at home, but Liverpool were superior."

He added: ''We need to get the emotions right. I know, and you can feel, that Stamford Bridge has become anxious about Chelsea playing at home but we need their full support behind us. That's the only way you can build the atmosphere to take us through this period.

"The Champions League is a competition which is life and death and this standard won't be enough. We need to up the tempo and play that game [against Valencia] with the ultimate desire."

The Portuguese coach knows that if results don't go his way in December that the Premier League title could slip away from the Blues before Christmas.

"Regarding the Premier League fixtures, for our challenge to be alive, we need to make the most out of the December fixtures," he said. "You know they include Newcastle, Manchester City and Tottenham. If we do that, we'll be back on track. It will have a major impact by the end of December. We recovered two points at the weekend. But for us to continue to challenge, we need to make the most of the December fixtures. That is our challenge.

"In the situation we are in, 10 points behind, it can invert what can happen in the Premier League in four months' time. I'm not a wizard and I won't say what will happen afterwards can't have an impact - the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League come into play - and March and April can be as decisive as December. But it's a fact, given we play the top teams, that we can put our challenge back on track."

Fernando Torres was anonymous against former club Liverpool, but Villas-Boas also backed the £50 million striker to come good, despite warning him he is likely to lose his place against Newcastle.

''It will come with confidence and time. We believe in him and will continue to pursue his individual form,'' he said. ''Our task as technical staff is to get the best out of players and if we don't do that then we have failed.

''It takes time and Fernando faces a tough time. He must compete because at the moment Didier Drogba is showing good signs.''

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