Graham Potter 'is under NO pressure to keep his job at Chelsea'

Graham Potter ‘has the full backing of Chelsea’s board’ despite winning just two of his last 13 games and falling 10 POINTS off the top four… with Todd Boehly and Co convinced they have ‘one of the best managers in the game’

• Chelsea failed to win for a third straight game away at West Ham on Saturday
• But Potter maintains the support of Blues chiefs despite their poor run of form
• Todd Boehly and Co do not expect short-term success after their spending spree

Chelsea’s owners have no concerns about Graham Potter and are prepared to back him ‘for years not months’, reports claim – despite a run of two wins in 13 games putting a huge dent in their top-four hopes.

Potter faces an uphill battle to secure Champions League qualification for the Blues, who now trail fourth-place Newcastle by 10 points in the Premier League table after drawing 1-1 away at West Ham in yet another setback.

Despite taking the lead through Joao Felix and dominating the early stages of Saturday’s game, Chelsea left the London Stadium with just a point after a lapse in concentration at the back allowed former defender Emerson to earn the Hammers a draw.

Referee Craig Pawson and VAR failed to award a late penalty when Tomas Soucek appeared to handle Conor Gallagher’s goal-bound shot inside the box, yet Potter refused to criticise any officials in his post-match press conference.

That conservative response to a decision which could have pulled his side out of their alarming slump irked Chelsea supporters, who were craving more fire and passion from their head coach after failing to win for a third straight match.

Graham Potter is under no immediate pressure to keep his job at Chelsea, according to reports

The Blues remain 10 points adrift of the top four after their 1-1 draw at West Ham on Saturday

Potter was criticised after the game for failing to hit out at match officials for not awarding a penalty when Tomas Soucek (pictured) appeared to handle the ball inside the area 

Though according to The Athletic, while a large section of Blues fans are questioning whether Potter has the ruthless streak required to win titles, the club’s owners do not share those concerns and are still convinced they have ‘one of the best managers in the game’.

It is believed Potter is under no immediate pressure to keep his job at Stamford Bridge, with Todd Boehly and Co aware that patience is required after throwing so many new signings into the squad.

Chelsea forked out an unprecedented £300million on winter reinforcements in January, having also spent around £250million back in the summer transfer window, with a total of 15 new players arriving this season.

As a result, Blues chiefs always felt short-term success would be beyond them this term as their batch of recruits look to gel on the pitch while Potter searches for the right balance in his team.

But Chelsea’s owners are still convinced they have ‘one of the best managers in the game’

Potter will therefore be given the time required to turn the Blues’ fortunes around

They believe the former Brighton boss should therefore be judged in years and not months, meaning he will be given sufficient time to turn the club’s fortunes around.

After Saturday’s draw at West Ham, Potter told BT Sport: ‘I think we could see positives in the performance, particularly in the first half it was a step forward for us compared to the previous game.

‘There is lots to go forward with. We are in a process of getting guys up to speed and match minutes to sustain what we want to do. That is the challenge for us. There are positives in the game.

‘These are things [handball] that you need to go in your favour. At the moment they are not, that’s life, nothing to complain about there. 

‘We have to keep working and there were positives for us in how we wanted to play today. Some good attacking moments. We have to keep moving forwards.’

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