Chelsea 'cannot run away from the reality of the Premier League table - every game is a must-win game', says Jose Mourinho

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Jose Mourinho is challenging his Chelsea players to face up to their problems, with their poor start to the Barclays Premier League season leaving every game as a 'must-win'.

Chelsea welcome Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge on Saturday sitting 16th in the table having won just two of their opening eight league games.

The champions desperately need to turn their form around, and fast, with no team having recovered to finish in the top four from this position in Premier League history.

Jose Mourinho has challenged his Chelsea players, saying they 'cannot run away from the reality of the table'

The Chelsea boss leads his side into Saturday's clash with Aston Villa after a disappointing start to the season

Chelsea currently sit 16th in the Barclays Premier League, just two places above the relegation zone

Mourinho issues instructions to his players during the faltering champions' Friday training session at Cobham

The Portuguese coach is set to lead his team against Aston Villa in a clash between two struggling sides

Eden Hazard, who scored for Belgium on international duty, will be looking to find last season's form again

And Mourinho says he wants his players to recognise the reality of their grave situation and to recognise that their performances and results to this point have been far from good enough.

'Every game is a must win game and when we don't win it's always a frustration,' Mourinho told his pre-match press conference.

'But we cannot run away from the reality of the situation. 'We need to win matches for us, for the Chelsea supporters.'

Reports on Thursday claimed that some members of Mourinho's first-team squad were referring to the manager by a 'derogatory one-word nickname' but he rejected those as false on Friday.

The Portuguese coach claimed after Chelsea's defeat by Southampton earlier this month that while it would be difficult for his side to win the title again, he was confident of a top-four finish, a stance he reiterated ahead of Villa's vist.

'I don't know how to stop unfair stories but we are not worried,' Mourinho said. 'We are not going to be relegated – in a couple of months we will be in a position we want to be in. 

Mourinho is confident that his side will not be relegated and that they will edge back into contention at the top

The Chelsea manager joked that Diego Costa had found the solution to their problems with poor form

Cesc Fabregas slides across the turf as Chelsea's players wrap up warm for the session on Friday

John Terry will be hoping to keep his place in the side after a week off due to his international retirement

Diego Costa, wearing a snood during training, is back from suspension and will lead the line against Villa

'(On Friday) we had a good conversation again. We laugh a lot because Diego Costa found the reasons for the bad results.

'I cannot tell you (but) he gave us the solution to go back to victories.'

On a more serious note, in a bid to stop the rot at Stamford Bridge the boss is set to hand a start to 19-year-old Ruben Loftus-Cheek with the hope that he can thrive under reduced pressure in a struggling side.

Mourinho looks set to turn to Ruben Loftus-Cheek in a bid to stop the rot against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge

The England Under 21 international has been afforded brief chances in the first team under Mourinho

Brazilian youngster Kenedy is another young player who will be hoping to get an opportunity to play

The England Under 21 international has been afforded brief chances in the first team but is yet to complete a full 90 minutes under Mourinho.

'Ruben has been working with us every day since January and has evolved physically, tactically, mentally. We can start him. He is ready,' the manager said.