Graham Potter lives to fight another day after his side ended a winless run thanks to Wesley Fofana’s header against Leeds.
Graham Potter eased pressure on his position as Chelsea’s manager when the Blues picked a crucial three points against Leeds.
The first half performance saw home fans boo their team off the pitch before Fofana headed the winning goal in the second half.
According to reports, Chelsea had to win their games against Leeds and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League for Potter to keep his job safe. The side aced Leeds. What awaits is for the side to grab their win over the Bundesliga side, Borussia Dortmund.
After taking the lead against Javi Gracia’s side, Potter opted to take off both Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling for Conor Gallagher and Denis Zakaria. This was done in an effort to stabilise the game as Leeds searched for an equaliser.
The Chelsea coach came under criticism for his decision but it paid off. The Blues finally picked up their first three points since their win against Crystal Palace back in Janaury.
Speaking after the 1-0 win, Potter hit back at his critics who slammed his substitutions for being “too defensive”.
He said, “Noni Madueke is on. Carney [Chukwuemeka] is an attacking sub. There were different profiles. Raheem [Sterling] is coming back from an injury so we had to make those decisions.”
“The game got stretched and I wanted us to attack but as soon as you miss the opportunity, you need to be stable. We wanted to score the second goal but, at the same time, it was a game against one of the best teams in terms of high intensity in the Premier League.
“So if the game becomes Hawaii football, up and down, then it can be a challenge. The boys stuck at it and the crowd were great.”
“They want us to do well and win with more comfort – we all want that. But given the moment we’re in, it’s not so easy to do. But the boys gave everything today.”
When asked whether the players are still behind him at Stamford Bridge, Potter offered a strong response. “Yes, but as I said in the press conference [yesterday] it needs to manifest itself in results and wins,” he added.
“Talk is cheap. I firmly believe in the players and the team but I also acknowledge that the results haven’t been good enough and that is my responsibility. So any criticism is absolutely fair and warranted.
“We have to take it, try to improve, and win. That is the job.”
Whilst the result against Leeds is a huge positive for the Blues, there is yet another huge game on the horizon against Dortmund. Should Potter and his players be able to turn around their 1-0 first leg deficit then the atmosphere amongst supporters could take a huge step in the right direction and prove that Boehly’s faith in Potter is well placed.