Potter faces Chelsea ultimatum as players ‘angry’ after Tottenham loss

Graham Potter reviews Chelsea's defeat at Spurs

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Chelsea manager Graham Potter may have just two matches to save his job amid a reported feeling of growing concern at the club. The Blues fell to another defeat on Sunday as Tottenham won comfortably in north London, amping up the pressure on the former Brighton boss. 

Spurs notched their second win in a row by inflicting a 2-0 defeat on struggling Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Oliver Skipp and Harry Kane each notched second-half goals, extending the Blues’ miserable run to two wins in their last 15 matches. 

Goals have been a crippling issue for Potter’s side, having notched fewer goals than every other Premier League team since the start of November (six). Fans have voiced their anger from the stands, with many of them calling for the axe to fall. 

Although the manager, who was only appointed in September, retains the backing of the board for the time being, The Telegraph cite a growing feeling behind the scenes at Chelsea that Potter’s next two matches will be ‘make or break’. 

The Blues have the rest of the week to prepare for relegation-threatened Leeds United’s visit to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. More dropped points would surely end any lingering hopes of European qualification this term, while some are fearful that they could slip into relegation trouble. 

Chelsea are currently 14 points behind fourth-place Spurs and only 10 points above Everton in the drop zone. Their European aspirations could also be over after Potter’s second crucial encounter, with Borussia Dortmund set to visit west London on March 7 with a 1-0 lead following their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg win. 

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Two more performances without signs of life could spell the end for Potter. Senior stars are said to be concerned about the boss’ ability to turn the situation around, January signings are supposedly shocked by the pressure they are already under and peripheral players are reportedly angry at being left out of matchday squads. 

Chelsea’s recruitment has centred around young talent since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over the club. The likes of Enzo Fernandez, 22, Benoit Badiashile, 21, and 22-year-old Mykhaylo Mudryk have all been thrown in at the deep end as Potter frantically searches for a winning recipe. 

The boss has also been forced into a number of ruthless decisions by the wave of new signings, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s omission from his 25-man Champions League squad sending shockwaves throughout the club. 

Reports indicate that the bloated squad at Stamford Bridge is forcing Potter to adapt his training sessions, while preventing him from working on the finer details that made him a success at Brighton, Swansea and Ostersund. 

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