Liam Rosenior has taken responsibility for Chelsea's poor form as they look to bounce back against Brighton on Tuesday.
The Blues' hopes of qualifying for the Champions League took a huge blow at the weekend as they lost 1-0 at home to Manchester United.
Chelsea have lost, and failed to score, in each of their last four league games; only in November 1912 have the Blues ever endured a longer such run in their league history (five games).
They are now seven points behind fifth-place Liverpool, who occupy the final Champions League spot, and just three ahead of 12th-place Fulham.
Rosenior admitted Chelsea have not played well enough in recent games, shouldering the blame for their poor form.
"We have to win. That is what this club demands and rightfully so, and that is what the fans expect," said Rosenior.
"It is about winning football. That is what football is about. You can't speak about the long-term if you aren't doing the job in the short-term.
"Being really respectfully honest here, we haven't done well in recent games and that is on my shoulders as the head coach of the team.
"We have a huge game and then an FA Cup semi-final. That is why you are in football, but now is the time to deliver and that is what we have to work towards."
There is added pressure on Chelsea ahead of their trip to the Amex Stadium, with Brighton just one point behind the Blues.
The Seagulls twice came back from behind in a 2-2 draw against Tottenham on Saturday, keeping them in a strong position to push for a European place.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has encouraged his side to embrace their fixture against Chelsea, seeing it as a chance for them to grow.
"I am impressed by the character and resilience the team have shown, especially the players, how they stick together, how they hold each other accountable, how they work in every training session," said Hurzeler.
"It's a position we should really embrace, we have all worked hard for [it].
"Now we need to enjoy these moments and games because it's a great opportunity for us to grow.
"We want to enjoy it. We want to be very humble starting this game, we want to start with intensity and energy. Hopefully, we get a positive result."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brighton – Danny Welbeck
Welbeck has been involved in seven goals in eight Premier League appearances against Chelsea for Brighton (five goals, two assists).
In his 10 appearances against the Blues before that, for Sunderland, Man Utd, Arsenal and Watford, he only scored one goal and did not assist any.
Chelsea – Cole Palmer
Palmer has five goals in his last three Premier League appearances against Brighton, with four of those coming in one game at Stamford Bridge in September 2024.
He’s had 16 shots in his last three games against the Seagulls, making up 43% of Chelsea’s total attempts in those matches.