Dreadful and humiliated Chelsea players are out of excuses after cynical, scandalous claims

Chelsea head to Liverpool on Saturday on the back of six straight Premier League defeats and with supporters questioning whether players have ‘downed tools’

Calum McFarlane says the FA Cup final date with Manchester City has not been discussed at Chelsea’s training complex. Perhaps it is time the stand-in manager brought it up.

Perhaps it is time he told players that they won’t be walking out at Wembley if they put in a shift half as dreadful as the one that led to a humiliating beating by Nottingham Forest reserves on Bank Holiday Monday.

On the face of it, the game against Liverpool is hardly weighed down with huge implications. Chelsea’s Premier League season has long been tapering off and Liverpool are pretty much certain of a top five finish. But that is deceptive. At Anfield early on Saturday afternoon is the place and the time for these Chelsea players to show they care.

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They should care about trying to make sure of a European place, even if it is in the second or third tier of competition.

They should care about earning a spot in the eleven that start against City in what is still the marquee day in English club football.

They should care that Chelsea – the proud, grand institution of Chelsea – is in danger of becoming a laughing stock.

And it is not as if they have not got enough talent within the squad. McFarlane has said that Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho will not be making the trip and as they are already without Estevao and Jamie Gittens, the temporary boss will have to find solutions in the wide areas.

But with Joao Pedro not unfamiliar with a wide role, that should not be too problematic.

With Enzo Fernandez operating further forward, Liam Delap leading the line and Cole Palmer in behind, they should still pose an attacking threat to a Liverpool side that shipped three at Old Trafford last weekend.

If they put a shift in, that is.

Predictably, McFarlane rebuked suggestions that the players had downed tools in the Premier League. But that is what it has looked like. And it is hard not to wonder if they really want to fight for a place in Europe.

A cynic might think some of the players might not fancy the Thursday-Sunday grind next season. After all, it is not as though their lucrative, long contracts are likely to contain any penalty clauses if they do not qualify for European competition.

It is a very cynical, scandalous suggestion. But the types of performances they have been producing in recent Premier League games make the theory not so unthinkable.

Don’t forget, this is a Chelsea squad that were seen as title challengers when they drew at the Emirates in the 13th Premier League game of the season. They were six points behind Arsenal after that match – they now trail the Gunners by 28 points.

It is a drop-off that cannot be explained solely by the changes in management and the poor leadership from above.

The players have lost their pride. They need to rediscover it on Merseyside.