Graham Potter has admitted that Chelsea’s record of six points from 24 in the Premier League is not good enough after last night’s 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester City.
The Chelsea head coach is facing an injury crisis, with ten senior players out of Sunday’s game away to City in the FA Cup third round, after Mason Mount, Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic were added to the list on the sidelines.
Potter has overseen one win in eight Premier League games, a record that leaves Chelsea tenth in the table and ten points off the Champions League qualification spots. Asked whether the form was good enough, Potter said: “No. If you just analyse that, in terms of points in that amount of games, it’s hard for me to argue against it.
“Obviously, there’s factors you have to consider. The margins of the Premier League are that [it’s] a narrow defeat to Manchester City, it’s a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle with nine injuries, it’s a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, it’s a bad day against Brighton, it’s a draw against Manchester United and it’s a draw away at Brentford. And, obviously, away at Nottingham Forest. Points-wise, it’s hard to argue. For me, I would say, it’s more about how we play.”
Mount suffered a knock in Wednesday’s training session, while Pulisic (knee) and Sterling (hamstring) had to come off in the first half.
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“It doesn’t make it any easier,” Potter said. “I’ve never experienced anything like it and I wouldn’t want to experience it ideally here. I have to just carry on.”
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came on for Sterling, but was removed in the 68th minute and replaced by Omari Hutchinson, the 19-year-old making his professional debut, with the summer signing shaking his head as he departed the pitch.
“You understand footballers want to play and they want to help the team and it’s a decision you have to make,” Potter said. “He hasn’t played for a while and then when you play against City as a forward you have to work off the ball, and he gave everything. He was just fatiguing a little bit, I thought.”
Riyad Mahrez converted fellow substitute Jack Grealish’s cross in the second half to cut the gap to leaders Arsenal to five points.
“We still have 63 points left to play for so that’s a lot, but it’s important [to win],” Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, said. “I said we have to continue to prove ourselves because it’s normal being in this position after four Premier Leagues in five years.
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“We prefer to be closer, but the way Arsenal have played, they deserve to be there, and I know the challenge that we have, but it was so important, especially for the second half to be aware that we can do it again and again and again.”
