JOL BACKS BENITEZ

The Fulham manager Martin Jol has said that he is confident that the Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez will be able to get over the abuse he gets from Chelsea fans once he starts winning football matches.

Benitez received the kind of entry no other manager has received after the Chelsea fans booed him extremely when he was introduced as the new Chelsea manager prior to the match against Manchester City. Chelsea ended the match 0-0 after an encounter that saw the club rarely threaten goal. Benitez will now be taking charge in the second home match against Fulham.

The Fulham manager Martin Jol has said that it is not surprising to see the former manager Roberto di Matteo being appreciated a lot by the Chelsea faithful, who have been used to seeing the midfielder shine for the club during his playing days as well. This situation with Benitez and his Liverpool connection meaning that it will take a while before fans accept him according to Martin Jol. Benitez said a number of ill-advised things about Chelsea when he was the manager of Liverpool, which is coming to haunt him now. However, he has maintained that he said things only in the defence of Liverpool.

"I think it had more to do with Di Matteo. He was much appreciated there because he did well as a player and, I think, he did well as a manager, to be fair. It was not a decision that everyone could understand so you get this sort of thing. But Rafa Benitez is a true professional who has been in this business for a long time so he is tough enough," said the Fulham manager ahead of this West London derby. Chelsea badly need a win from this match after drawing against Manchester City during the weekend.