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London - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho declared that he would "sleep well" despite seeing his team's wretched season continue with a penalty shootout loss to Stoke City in the League Cup.
Eden Hazard, symbol of Chelsea's early-season woes, was the fall guy in Tuesday's fourth-round tie at the Britannia Stadium.
Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland saved the Belgian winger's spot-kick to give the hosts a 5-4 shootout win after the game had finished 1-1 following extra time.
With Chelsea 15th in the Premier League and out of the League Cup, both of which they won last season, Mourinho faces mounting speculation that he could be sacked, but ahead of Saturday's home game with Liverpool, he said that he was feeling calm.
"I have a day off tomorrow, a fantastic family, I can sleep well every night," said Mourinho, whose side have already succumbed to eight defeats in all competitions, including the Community Shield.
"I'm going to enjoy my day and Thursday, it will be one more day like I have had in the last 15 years of my life -- honest and dedicated."
Chelsea's hierarchy gave Mourinho a public vote of confidence following the recent home 3-1 defeat by Southampton, but he said that he did not need more reassurances about his position.
"I don't need it. I don't need more," he told his post-match press conference.
He also hit out at newspaper reports that he has lost the support of his players.
"Honestly, do you think they are not with me? That they didn't give everything to win the game?" he said.
"That is really sad - not sad for me, but sad for the players -- and I think it is a lack of respect to the players, not to me.
"For me it would be a fantastic situation if the players are against me. I could say we don't have results because the players are against me."
