Jose Mourinho admits he cannot guarantee he will still be Chelsea manager when Sunderland visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but hopes that owner Roman Abramovich will give him more time to turn the club's nightmare season around.
Leicester City handed the Premier League champions their ninth defeat in 16 league matches on Monday, with goals from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez securing a 2-1 win that moves Claudio Ranieri's men back to the top of the table and leaves Chelsea just a point above the relegation zone.
After the match, Mourinho accused his players of betraying his work by not heeding his tactical instructions on the pitch, but the Blues boss insists he has no desire to walk away from the worst crisis of his career.
Asked if he was 100 percent convinced he would still be in charge for the Sunderland game, Mourinho replied: "The only thing I can say is that I want to be.
"I have no doubts and I think you know me well enough, three years this time, plus three years another time, that I am not afraid of a big challenge, and in this moment this is a real big challenge. I want to stay, I hope Mr Abramovich and the board want me to stay."
Chelsea's ongoing struggles have prompted speculation of renewed spending in the January transfer window, with Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Alex Teixeira and Everton defender John Stones both reported to be priority targets, but Mourinho insists he is focused on improving his current players.
"My board, my club, I don't think it's right that I go to them and say these players are not good, we need to spend £50 million or £100m or whatever, I don't think it's fair," he added.
"We have these players and it's with these players we have to go. The players that are not performing well, they must feel attacked in their pride and their self-esteem, and they have to do everything to get results in a humble way.
"I don't think in this moment they can feel they are top players or they can feel they are superstars. They have to look at the Leicester boys and to feel these are the stars, these are the top players.
"They have to look to Sunderland and Watford and say: 'We are at the same level. I am not the superstar, I am not the player of the season, I am not the world champion, I am not the Premier League champion. At this moment, I am at your level.'"