'Atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge growing quieter with each game'

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There were chants of "we want our Chelsea back" during a protest march before kick-off - then the chorus spread to the stands during the second half of the defeat by Manchester United.

The frustration from supporters is understandable, given Chelsea have now lost their past four Premier League games without scoring - their joint-longest run since November 1912.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior admitted his side face a "mountain to climb" in their pursuit of Champions League qualification, after the latest 1-0 loss to United left them four points off the top five, having played a game more.

Failure to qualify would be viewed internally as a disappointment, with the club at risk of falling short of the minimum target set before the season under former head coach Enzo Maresca.

Missing out would mean a loss of key revenue and prestige, and would mark the third time in four seasons Chelsea have failed to qualify since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover in 2022.

There is anger directed at Rosenior, but many Chelsea supporters also point the finger at Eghbali, Boehly and the rest of the BlueCo ownership.

The latest protest saw supporters march from The Wolfpack Inn pub to Stamford Bridge before kick-off, having grown from a turnout of about 200 before the Brentford match to more than 500 before Saturday's tie.

There were flares, banners and chants directed at the owners, as well as calls in support of former owner Abramovich.

Under the terms of the takeover agreement in 2022, the current ownership group cannot sell the club until at least 2032. However, there are signs they are willing to listen to some of the criticism, including calls to recruit more experienced players.