London: Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger have no margin for error as they fight to avoid being frozen out of the Premier League's top four and next season's Champions League.

When the London rivals clashed in the Community Shield in August, the sparkling sunshine at Wembley provided a fitting backdrop as they looked ambitiously towards the new season.

But just seven months later that optimism has given way to the harsh realities of winter and the realisation that both Conte and Wenger could be out of a job at the end of the season.

With fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur at home to Huddersfield Town on Saturday, Chelsea -- with three defeats in their past four league games -- could be five points outside the top four by the time they kick off at Manchester City on Sunday.

Last weekend's defeat at Manchester United was another bitter blow and Conte knows returning to Manchester to face red-hot City is hardly the ideal fixture for Chelsea to get back on track.

Chelsea's players are reportedly unhappy with Conte's intense personality and ultra-demanding training sessions.