LONDON -- Antonio Conte insisted that he is "relaxed" about Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's record of sacking managers, adding that he is a "specialist" at working for clubs in difficulty.
Wednesday's 2-1 defeat against rivals Arsenal ended Chelsea's hopes of winning the Carabao Cup, while a rampant Manchester City have rendered the Blues' defence of the Premier League title irrelevant after just 24 games and Barcelona await in the Champions League round of 16.
Anything other than a win over Newcastle in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday would make the prospect of a trophyless season at Stamford Bridge a very real one, and the only Chelsea manager in the 14 years of Abramovich's ownership to survive a campaign without silverware was Jose Mourinho in 2013-14.
Conte has appeared increasingly downbeat in recent weeks, frustrated by Chelsea's setbacks in the transfer market and on the pitch, and he appeared to escalate tensions with the club hierarchy following the Arsenal loss by claiming that he has little impact on the club's recruitment policy.
But in a press conference on Friday, the Italian was unruffled by Chelsea's track record of frequently changing their coaches.
Asked if he was concerned about the speculation surrounding his future, Conte replied: "I can tell [you] that I continue to work very hard for this club, for the players, for our fans.
"I saw a bit the history of this club in the past and it was the same also for the other coaches, and I don't see difference between me and other coaches that managed this situation. My task is to continue to work very hard for this club and have great respect first of all for my job and for my players, for our fans.
"If you remember the start of the season I said maybe this will be the most difficult season for me. I think that I have a great capacity to see very long [into the future]. But we must be focused and put everything, every day and we have to continue to do this and know we have to face great difficulties.
"My only worry is to work, only to work very hard. For sure if you look at the stats you can see that in 14 years 10 managers were sacked in this club.
"The stats are this, but at the same time when you are sure about your work and that you are doing everything to improve this club and to work with the players, I am very relaxed, calm and I don't have this type of worry.
"[Those] who know me very well know I don't stop myself in front of the difficulties. I try every day, through the hard work to overcome these difficulties. It is not for all, this, but I am a specialist in this type of situation."
Earlier this week, Conte insisted that Chelsea are having a "good season" despite sitting third in the Premier League and 15 points adrift of City, and he believes that now is the time to be realistic about the club's ambitions.
"When you start the season everyone has to try to dream," he added. "Also if you are not ready to ... it is right to dream, but then there is the reality and you have to fight sometimes to overcome the reality like last season and to do something special, but for sure it is not simple, not easy.
"I think that there are different times for every team to understand if you can go to fight for everything or go to work very hard. [You have] to dream but at the same time to be ready to fight for a place in Champions League or fight to try to reach a semifinal or a final. There are different times."