Antonio Rudiger admits Chelsea players are low on confidence and have become mentally tired amid the struggles of Maurizio Sarri’s reign.

Chelsea manager Sarri is under growing pressure amid a dismal run of form that has seen the club crash out of the FA Cup to Manchester United and lose three consecutive Premier League away games against Arsenal, Manchester City and Bournemouth.

Rudiger said: ‘We are always working in training trying to do better each day. I think, right now, it’s about confidence. It’s not a tactical aspect, in my view. It’s confidence. We’re under-performing.’

Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has admitted that confidence is low among the squad

Gonzalo Higuain looks frustrated during Chelsea’s FA Cup defeat by Manchester United 

Sarri has ordered his players to train on the morning of games and Rudiger admits it is a change of tack from previous managers.

‘Fatigue, no, because it’s not like we are doing box to box runs,’ said Rudiger. ‘It’s not physical. It’s just the tactical things he likes to do. That’s his way, he’s carrying on. Also it’s new for the majority of the players, but we have to adapt to it.

Asked if it becomes mentally tiring, Rudiger said: ‘It’s the same if you sit in the school the whole time listening to someone. Of course, sometimes, it gets mental, but at the end of the day you have to do your job.’

Maurizio Sarri faces a crucial period with games against Malmo, Man City and Tottenham

Rudiger also suggested that Sarri’s training sessions can become mentally tiring for the squad

Rudiger believes that upcoming fixtures against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final and Tottenham in the Premier League will demonstrate the ‘truth’ of Chelsea’s quality and be a moment of reckoning.

He said: ‘On Sunday, a big game against City at Wembley. That will show the truth. That will show our way this season. It will be the truth in terms of keeping up with opponents like City, and also Liverpool and Tottenham.’

Asked if the players retain faith in Sarri’s system of play, Rudiger said: ‘I’m not the coach. I’m a football player. This is something the coach has to decide, and we have to follow.

‘You always play for your manager, but you want results. You want to win. No player on earth likes to have the kind of run we’ve had.’ 

Unai Emery has held heart-to-heart talks with Mesut Ozil in an attempt to finally coax the best of the mercurial German.

Ozil’s future at the Emirates Stadium is under a huge cloud after falling out of favour with Emery.

The Arsenal No 10 has missed more games as than he has played this season due to illness, persistent back problems, a niggling knee injury or being left out culminating in concerns over why the club’s top-earner is missing so many games.

A well wrapped up Mesut Ozil walks out for Wednesday’s training with manager Unai Emery 

The German has struggled for form in recent months and has fallen out of favour with Emery

There is obvious frustration over why Ozil is so regularly unavailable and the midfielder’s fitness and well-being will be closely monitored in the coming weeks.

Ozil also missed games towards the end of last season due to sickness and back problems.

But ahead of Thursday night’s vital Europa League clash against BATE Borisov, where they trail 1-0 from the first leg, Emery and Ozil have held clear-the-air talks.

It remains to be seen whether Ozil will return to the starting XI for the clash against the Belorussians.

But Emery is hopeful he can finally coax the best out of the World Cup winner, saying: ‘I ask him in our conversations to be consistent, to be available for us in training.

Ozil trains alongside his team-mates ahead of Thursday’s Europe League game with BATE

Emery prepares his side for the return leg against BATE Borisov at the Emirates Stadium

‘When you can train with regularity, consistency, you can help us after in the games.

‘Now I think this week is good for all the players because we are in an important moment for the season.

‘I looking at him in the training like we want. I know he wants. But he needs to be consistent, be available for training, for the matches.

‘Without the injuries, without being sick. Like that, I think we can see the best Mesut with us.

‘The key is in his hand. And he is working very well this week.’

The final press conference between Bermane Stiverne and Joe Joyce descended into chaos on Wednesday, with the former WBC heavyweight champion threatening to ‘kick the s*** out’ of the British fighter’s manager as tempers flared ahead of Saturday’s showdown at the O2.

Stiverne, who began the press conference a man of few, quiet words, boiled over after Joyce’s manager Sam Jones accused him of backing out of a previous sparring session.

The Haiti heavyweight had to be restrained by security officials as he threatened to ‘slap’ Jones and ‘kick the s*** out’ of him.

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Bermane Stiverne threatened to kick the s*** out of Joe Joyce’s manager Same Jones (left)

Jones accused Stiverne of backing out of a previous sparring session with his fighter

Security were forced to intervene as the Haitian heavyweight took execption to the comments

Joyce, for his part, remained calm as tempers flared, while Jones continued to bait his man’s opponent.

‘Don’t get me hot… I can slap you today and still fight Saturday… little b**** that you are,’ a fuming Stiverne told Joyce’s manager.

The melee was in stark contrast to the first half of the press conference, which was cordial and doused with humour from the visiting fighter’s team.

After Stiverne was restrained as he tried to confront Jones, he insisted: ‘I have no issue with Joyce, I respect him as a man… I have nothing but respect for this man, nothing but positivity.’

Joyce remained calm throughout and kept his composure despite the tension around him

Joyce faces his most difficult challenge to date in facing the 40-year-old heavyweight

The two heavyweights collide on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jnr’s clash with James DeGale, with Joyce hoping to steal the show at the O2 with the biggest victory of his career.

Stiverne, who has twice fought Deontay Wilder, represents his toughest test to date. But Joyce is in confident mood, labelling his opponent a ‘stepping stone’ on his route to the top.

His promoter Richard Schaefer, meanwhile, labelled him the best heavyweight in the world.

‘I know how good I am and I just need to show all you guys,’ Joyce said. ‘I’m happy with Richard Schaefer having faith in me so I need to prove to him and to all of you how good I am.’

Joyce hopes to be competing for world honours soon and on a potential clash with Wilder he said: ‘That’s a fight to make in the future, a good route, I like the WBC belt!’

The talking will stop on Saturday night when both men feature on the undercard