Five moments when André Villas-Boas's luck turned against him

20 November 2011: Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool

Glen Johnson's late goal condemns the hosts to a third defeat in four Premier League matches, and successive home losses for the first time in the Roman Abramovich era, to slip 12 points from Manchester City at the top. The manager claims he retains the hierarchy's support in the aftermath. "The owner didn't pay 15m [euros in compensation] to get me out of Porto only to pay me another fortune just to let me go again," says Villas-Boas.

12 February 2012 – The fallout from Everton 2-0 Chelsea

An anaemic performance on Merseyside prompts Villas-Boas to call in his squad on their day off, with emotions boiling over in the team meeting. Some senior players, most notably Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard, respond by telling him exactly what they think of his tactics. Abramovich is also present at the training ground that day and, while the manager subsequently admits some of his squad are not buying into his ideas, he reiterates that he enjoys the owner's support.

21 February 2012 – Napoli 3-1 Chelsea

Chelsea are undone at the Stadio San Paolo despite taking a first-half lead, with the decision to leave Lampard, Michael Essien and Cole on the bench at the start, prompting the technical director, Michael Emenalo, to seek an explanation of the team selection on behalf of the owner. "[Abramovich] just wanted to know the thought process," explains Villas-Boas. At the time, the bold selection has the feel of a suicide note.

27 February 2012 – Interview with Portuguese radio

A lengthy interview, conducted the previous Thursday, is broadcast on the Portuguese radio station TSF in which Villas-Boas admits for the first time that he fears he may suffer the same fate as Luiz Felipe Scolari and Carlo Ancelotti. There is an unhelpful comparison of Fernando Torres's impact with that of Mateja Kezman and Andriy Shevchenko, with the comments unappreciated by the club's hierarchy.

2 March 2012 – Brutally honest press conference

Again, Villas-Boas is a victim of his own honesty. A public admission that Chelsea's squad bears no comparison with that of Manchester City, despite Abramovich's £1bn investment in the club, is politically perilous and hardly a fillip for the players he is preparing to send out against West Bromwich Albion. The game is duly lost to leave the Londoners three points behind Arsenal in fifth place.