Mourinho Burning For Trophies  (Sky Sports)

Jose Mourinho says he is as motivated as ever to win the Premier League and has called on his Chelsea players to re-discover their fire after a dismal start to the campaign.

The reigning champions have four points from four games and sit eight points behind leaders Manchester City after Saturday's 2-1 loss at home to Crystal Palace.

Mourinho has already fired a warning to his underperforming stars and said it is "sad" if players are not motivated or inspired to retain their title.

"If you win it once and the next year you are not on fire, or you are not ready to at least fight for more, that is sad," he said.

"When I win, I want to win again, I want to win more. I feel fantastic motivation for more."

Mourinho will demand his leading players, including Eden Hazard, improve after his side's chastening start to the season.

The defeat by Palace was his second loss in 100 home league games as Chelsea boss and he was frustrated by individual and collective performances.

He would not reveal names, but there was implied criticism of even Hazard, who dazzled in last year's title-winning season.

"If you are the best in the Premier League, I think it should be a good responsibility to have a similar season as in the previous season," Mourinho added.

"I don't want to analyse individual performances. When you have six or seven performing and three or four who are not (at) an acceptable level, it is difficult for a team to be consistent in the performance."

Others whose form has dipped this term include Branislav Ivanovic and Cesc Fabregas - and Mourinho vowed not to accept the downturn.

He said: "If you ask me, will I accept this, cross my arms, sit in a nice chair and wait calmly for the performance level to be back? No.

"I have to work, I have to react, I have to analyse and if I feel the players are not in conditions to react and give more, I have to make changes. I have never had a problem with that."

The People's Steve Bates told the Sunday Supplement that the Blues are in "meltdown" after their poor start to the season, and that Mourinho's blame game is typical of the boss.

"By Chelsea standards it's a total meltdown," Bates said. "They look a team in disarray, the problems seem to piling up and they look unrecognisable to the team who started the season last year.

"If this carries on you could seriously see this situation escalating for Mourinho because this is not what you expect from champions. They need to arrest this decline quickly."