Villas-Boas denies player rift

Andre Villas-Boas has denied speculation of a rift between himself and the senior Chelsea players.

Ramires gave Chelsea the lead in the 2-1 win at Wolves and the Brazilian, along with his team-mates, went to celebrate with the Portuguese, who has come under increasing pressure due to his side’s poor run of form which had seen them slip out of the top four.

But captain John Terry and midfielder Frank Lampard, who scored the winner in the 89th minute after Wolves had equalised through Stephen Ward, did not join in with the team celebration following Ramires’s goal.

While claiming that he did not expect the celebration, Villas-Boas slammed claims there were problems between him and Chelsea’s senior players.

“I think it’s just part of their showing of unity for the team and what the team has been doing,” he said.

“For the recent happenings in the home fixtures where we lost points it’s normal for stories to come out speculating about things going on.”

After being queried as to whether anything should have been made by the absence of Terry and Lampard in the celebration he added: “If you like to be speculative it’s up to your press, but I think if you take that route you’re not being correct and I tell you that what has been written is false and I recommend you not to take that route.”

Lampard was the subject of controversy after an early challenge on Adam Hammill with his studs raised saw the midfielder only cautioned by referee Peter Walton.

“What I would say is that I think Peter Walton is on a criteria and established that criteria for the rest of the game because five minutes into the game there was a situation for a yellow card which he decided not to give, first on a Wolves incident then on a Chelsea incident,” Villas-Boas said.

“So that was the criteria that he set. I know that the challenge might have been over the top but I think Peter considered that Frank is not that kind of player to be sent off, to lose his head over a challenge. I think he decided on that way.”

“What I would say is that I would congratulate his decision and his criteria making during the game. What I normally don’t accept, particularly in the Queens Park Rangers game (where Chelsea went down to nine men), is establishing a criteria and not sticking to it.”