Gary Neville suspects ‘ominous’ signs at Chelsea as Graham Potter faces fan revolt

“I suspect that nerve is being tested”
Jonathan Gorrie20 February 2023

Gary Neville believes there are “ominous” signs at Chelsea regarding Graham Potter’s future.

Saturday’s defeat at home to Southampton led to growing calls to sack the former Brighton from frustrated supporters inside Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have won only twice in their last 14 games across all competitions and failure to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Borussia Dortmund in the return leg of their Champions League tie would see any even remote chances of winning a trophy put to an end.

Standard Sport, however, understands the club’s owners are currently reluctant to sack Potter. There is a sympathy that the 47-year-old has walked into a difficult situation in west London, having to integrate 16 new players while dealing with an unprecedented injury list.

Still, a heavy defeat to rivals Tottenham this weekend would only see dissenting voices grow louder and Neville believes things are only pointing one way at the moment.

‘I watched the highlights of there game against Southampton and you saw all the chances they missed,” he told Sky Sports.

On the brink? Swathes of Chelsea fans appear to have turned on Graham Potter
Getty Images

“You heard the boos at the final whistle too and it feels a little ominous for Potter.

“I think the Chelsea owners will want to do the right thing. They’ve sacked a manager early [Thomas Tuchel] and got their own manager in.

“They’ve invested heavily in Graham and this team. But they need to hold their nerve if they want to see it through. I suspect that nerve is being tested when you spend that level of money and you’re still losing games.”

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