Chelsea legend Gianluca Vialli rates manager Andre Villas-Boas highly.

Vialli has urged Blues owner Roman Abramovich to be patient with his current Portuguese coach.

The Italian told the Daily Star Sunday: "I rate Villas-Boas highly, I think he is a very talented manager. He has been more successful in three of four years than 99 per cent of managers are in 30 or 40 years.

"He is facing a very difficult challenge because Chelsea are trying to change the team.

"They lack continuity and consistency. They go two steps forward and one step back - but that's normal. He is doing a good job and he just needs time to complete his project."