Graham Potter: Clubs like Chelsea are only 90 minutes away from crisis

Chelsea manager Graham Potter has accepted that clubs the size of the Blues are only ever one game away from being considered in ‘crisis’.

Potter has generally made a decent start to life at Stamford Bridge, recording three consecutive Champions League victories. But despite also winning his first three Premier League games in charge, Chelsea are now three without a win domestically and were thrashed by Brighton at the weekend.

That was a double blow for Potter personally, having left Brighton behind to take the Chelsea job back in September. It was also a first win for the new Seagulls boss Robert De Zerbi.

“You understand when you're at a club like this you are only 90 minutes away from a crisis and you have to put things into perspective, understand where you've been and what has happened, and look at it as intelligently as you can,” Potter said as the Blues now prepare to face Dinamo Zagreb.

“All I can do is focus on how I think, what I think, how I act and let the noise carry on.”

Chelsea are already assured of first place in Group E, which means a seeded place in the last 16 draw. Milan are three points behind but cannot overtake them by virtue of two Chelsea wins during the games between them earlier in this stage of the competition.

Arguably more important for Chelsea is the weekend’s Premier League clash with leaders Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Recent results have seen Potter’s side slip out of the top four into sixth place, and they are the only team in the top eight to have lost this past weekend.