Chris Coleman has been handed backing by Fulham chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed who, through a spokesperson, decried reports that the club were considering sacking their manager as ‘scurrilous’.

Press reports that suggested that if Fulham failed to pick up points in their next two league games – against Chelsea at home and Aston Villa away – Coleman would be sacked.

“Chris Coleman remains the manager of Fulham and has the full support of Mohamed Al Fayed and will continue to have the chairman’s support,” the spokesman said.

Fulham are eight points above the relegation zone, with Birmingham City having a game in hand. They not won an away game all season and last week’s departure of football business director Lee Hoos and Andy Ambler, the business operations director, is believed to weakened Coleman as the pair were considered allies of the young manager.

Chairman Al Fayed sanctioned five signings in January but Fulham have lost five out of their last six games. Coleman is also understood have disagreed with the club’s board over his faith in assistant manager Steve Kean, saying he would rather resign that lose his chief lieutenant.