SOCCER/Portsmouth v Chelsea:A DEFIANT Carlo Ancelotti has said his aim is to "change the history" of Chelsea managers being sacked at Stamford Bridge. The Italian says his relationship with Roman Abramovich remains healthy and that his position at the club is not under discussion.

Chelsea travel to Portsmouth this evening attempting to revive their title challenge after dropping 10 points in their past seven league games. That poor form, combined with elimination from the Champions League by Jose Mourinho’s Internazionale, has increased the pressure on Ancelotti.

Avram Grant, whose Pompey side Chelsea play tonight, was dismissed despite leading the club to their first European Cup final and Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked after only seven months with the team apparently destined for another trophyless season.

Ancelotti said that Chelsea, as “one of the most important clubs in the world”, had to win competitions. “If we don’t achieve that, then something hasn’t gone well,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean anything for my contract.”

When it was put to the Italian that contracts had appeared to mean very little in the ruthless removal of Grant and Scolari from their posts, he said: “I am here to change the history of this club.”

Asked what made him convinced he would still be in charge next season even if Chelsea do not win either the title or FA Cup, he said: “Because I am an optimistic man. I have a very good relationship with the club and with Roman. My position is not under discussion.”

Grant, too, had benefited from being a friend of Abramovich, a fact that counted for little in the wake of the Champions League disappointment in Moscow in 2008.

“But Grant was the past,” added Ancelotti. “Now there is a present. I think the owner now is thinking what I am thinking: about winning the Premier League and the FA Cup.”

Ancelotti, who will welcome back goalkeeper Petr Cech to his starting line-up at Fratton Park after a torn calf, admitted the past seven weeks – Chelsea have won only five of their 11 games during that time – had constituted his hardest yet since he left Milan last summer, even if his team’s destiny is still in their own hands with a trip to Old Trafford to come.

“Every team has difficult moments in a season. Now the most important thing is to end it immediately.

“We have nine or 10 games until the end of the season – eight in the Premier League and maybe two in the FA Cup – and our aim is to stay focused for these matches: 10 games to play and we have to win 10 games.

“The players have courage. They have personality. We have to show the energy, the strength and the confidence to win every game.

“This period started with the defeat to Manchester City and since then we have had a lot of injuries. But I don’t want to look for alibis; for excuses. And I don’t have any regrets about not buying players in January because the injuries we’ve had have been unexpected.

“We couldn’t have predicted them. But I’m sure that, with our first victory, we’ll come back to playing at our best again.”

Chelsea have slipped to third in the table and, although the side’s senior players continue to back him, there have been calls from outside the set-up for the Italian to show more emotion on the touchline – and presumably be more proactive – during games.

Asked whether his calmness on the sidelines could be interpreted as a lack of passion, Ancelotti added: “I am a fan of Chelsea but I don’t want to be one during a game. I want to stay focused. And, if you’re focused, you don’t show emotion.

“I feel the game: before, during and after the match. Anyway, I was a player for many years and, when my coach shouted to me during games, it was always difficult to hear him. The way I am is my style, my behaviour.

“I prefer to relay information to my players in training, before the game or at half-time. It’s very difficult to communicate with them during matches. I know other coaches shout but that is up to each person. I don’t think it’s necessary to shout because the players can’t hear.”

Grant, meanwhile, is without striker Aruna Dindane for tonight’s clash. The Ivorian has been declared unavailable by the club’s administrators due to a clause in his loan deal from Lens, which states Pompey must pay the French side €4.5 million if he plays another game.

Tal Ben-Haim and John Utaka both have groin injuries and miss out, while Hassan Yebda and Kevin-Prince Boateng are away having treatment on knee and ankle injuries respectively.