A rousing team talk by Roberto di Matteo to his players has inspired Chelsea's form surge in recent months.

The People says Di Matteo was not known as a great communicator when in charge at West Brom but Stamford Bridge sources have revealed that the fervour of his rallying cry shocked Chelsea players.

In an address that evoked not so much the spirit of Churchill as the bombast of Benito Mussolini, the Italian warned his haunted stars not to end their careers as washed-up Chelsea failures.

Fans have short memories, he warned them. Live on past glories if you want but do not bother to wave arrivederci on your way out.

As a wake-up call it worked a treat. Chelsea are now unrecognisable from the bedraggled side that became a laughing stock during the latter days of Andre Villas-Boas.