Maurizio Sarri questioned the mentality of his Chelsea team after they surrendered a lead to lose 2-1 against Wolves at Molineux, suggesting that some of his players may have "too much confidence."
Ruben Loftus-Cheek put Chelsea ahead with a deflected shot in the 18th minute, but they failed to convert their possession dominance into a second goal and two strikes in four second-half minutes from Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota turned the tide for the hosts.
Chelsea enjoyed 70 percent possession in the match, firing 17 shots at Wolves' goal, and after the game Sarri was at a loss to explain why his team had lost control of proceedings so quickly.
"I think we played very well for 55 minutes," he said. "After the first goal -- an accident because we were in full control of the match -- we were suddenly another team. I don't know why. I am really very worried, not for the result, but we didn't react to the first goal at all.
"We lost everything -- our football, the result -- after the goal. I don't think it depended on the changes [to the starting XI], it depended on the mentality of the team. We can lose the match, but not without a reaction."
The result sees Chelsea drop to fourth in the Premier League after 15 matches, and they trail leaders Manchester City by 10 points ahead of Saturday's meeting between the two clubs at Stamford Bridge.
Sarri has been unwavering in his insistence that Chelsea are not title contenders this season, but he downplayed the suggestion that the manner of this defeat could have a negative effect on his team ahead of the City game.
"Manchester City are in another category," he added. "They are not in our category. We have to play and fight to stay in the top four. In the last championship in Italy, I lost the title with 91 points [at Napoli], so I know how important it is to win. It's a difficult result to stay in the top four.
"City are the best team in Europe, maybe the world. Maybe they can win the Champions League, but it depends on moments. Last season they were the best team in the Champions League but in two matches [against Liverpool] they didn't play, maybe not in the best moment for them.
"The match is difficult for this reason. Of course, after this match we lost confidence. But maybe it's better, because sometimes my players show me they have too much confidence."