Fans chant for Tuchel’s name as Man City humiliate Chelsea
Manager Graham Potter admitted that his Chelsea team were underachieving after supporters sang the name of his predecessor, Thomas Tuchel, during a humiliating 4-0 FA Cup defeat by Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola, the City manager, said Potter should be given time, but elements of the Chelsea support are turning against the Englishman after losing six of his past nine matches.
They were outclassed by City, who face a potential fourth-round tie against Arsenal after goals from Julián Álvarez and Phil Foden and a double from Riyad Mahrez. “We have to keep improving and stick together because we are suffering as a football club and it’s not nice,” Potter, 47, said. “You can make excuses and look for reasons or say it isn’t good enough. Both of those answers are correct.”
In the second half, when City were 3-0 up, a group of Chelsea fans sang the name of Tuchel, who led the team to Champions League glory in 2021.
“We can’t do anything apart from do our jobs better and work harder,” Potter said, when asked how to win back the support of those fans. “You understand the frustration, we respect that. There are always other opinions and negativity and criticism because the results haven’t been positive. That’s part of the job, part of the challenge.”
Potter insisted that the Chelsea players were still behind him. “I don’t get any sense of players with a poor attitude,” the head coach said. “Everyone wants to try and do better. I think there is support in the dressing room.
“This opponent is probably the worst opponent you can play when things aren’t going well because they can make you look like you’re not running or not trying. I am working with the players.”
Potter was hindered by several injuries, and said Christian Pulisic, missing with a knee injury, would be unavailable “for weeks”. Raheem Sterling and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang were left out of the squad after suffering hamstring and back injuries respectively in the Premier League defeat by City on Thursday.
Guardiola, who has spoken warmly about Potter, urged Todd Boehly, the Chelsea co-owner, to stick with the former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach. “I know in big clubs, results are important but I’d say give him time,” Guardiola said. “What he’s done at Brighton is outstanding, but he’s right, we need time in the first season. I didn’t need two seasons at Barcelona because Messi was there. To play against City, when we are at this level, is not easy.”
Meanwhile, the FA condemned the City supporters who sang homophobic chants during the game.
