A defiant Rafael Benítez has vowed to win over Chelsea's support after his debut as the club's interim first-team manager prompted a poisonous reaction from the stands and a show of support for the dismissed Roberto Di Matteo.

The abuse rained down as soon as Benítez, the former Liverpool coach, appeared on the touchline before kick-off ahead of the goalless draw with Manchester City, with the chorus of boos giving way to chants of "f**k off Benítez, you're not wanted here" and disdain from the majority within Stamford Bridge. The club's owner, Roman Abramovich, looked on impassively from an executive box as the pitch-side announcer attempted in vain to declare a minute's applause would be held for the former Chelsea manager, Dave Sexton, who died on Sunday aged 82.

That was eventually observed, but the abuse of Benítez continued throughout the match with banners declaring "Rafa out" held aloft alongside others backing Di Matteo. Benítez initially claimed he had not heard or understood the chants, though the Spaniard later accepted that he must convince the fans he belongs.

"I have been here in England for eight years and have heard a lot of things," he said. "The good thing is I don't understand what people were singing. I was asking: 'What are they saying?' But I don't care. I'm just focused on the game. I want to change the perception. How? By working hard, doing my best and winning games.

"I can understand it because of the rivalry in the past [with Benítez's Liverpool side from 2004-10], and we cannot judge the supporters. We have to respect them. But I'm sure the majority of the fans will understand. I'm a professional.

"I will do my job and I want to win, and I want to win for this club. I hope they share those ideas. The fans, apart from that, are with the team. They will be with the team and, hopefully, with me in the next games because I will do a professional job and try to win."

Asked about the banners that had been hoisted, particularly in the lower tier of the Matthew Harding stand, Benítez added: "How many people do you need to write a banner? Just one. Then two to hold it up. If we start winning games, the fans will come on board and they will see I'm trying to do my best. Some of the fans will realise that is not the way to support their team. They'll know they have a professional manager in charge, someone who wants to win games, and the fans are the same. So we will win together."

The Spaniard's opposite number, Roberto Mancini, bemoaned his own team's lack of cutting edge and admitted he had been taken aback by the level of vitriol aimed at the home team's manager.

He suggested there was only one way to turn the tide. "To win, win, win, win, win, win, win," he said. "Win every game. Only the results can help, I think. It's difficult for him and for his team to play well [in that atmosphere]. I don't think Rafa is a magician. He cannot change everything in a few days even if, two weeks ago, Chelsea were on top and playing well. They have good players. Every manager needs time."

The draw left City a point behind Manchester United at the top, and Chelsea in fourth with their winless run in the Premier League stretched to five games after a traumatic week. Abramovich spoke with Benítez after the stalemate – the first time Chelsea have failed to score at home since May – with the Spaniard drawing encouragement from a rare clean sheet.

"He has to put us back into a winning mode," said the stand-in captain, Petr Cech. "He needs to have the chance to show he deserves a chance. Unfortunately you can't change the history. A few things happened while Mr Benitez was Liverpool coach, and we had a big rivalry then, but he's here to change things. This is a good beginning. Let's start from now."