Chelsea head coach Graham Potter praised the atmosphere as he hailed a "special night" at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in their Champions League last-16 second leg.

Heading into the game 1-0 down from the first leg in Germany, Chelsea started well and scored either side of half-time through Raheem Sterling and a retaken Kai Havertz penalty.

Dortmund arrived on the back of winning 10 games in a row, but had no answer to a Chelsea team seemingly buoyed by the weekend's victory against Leeds United, which was only their second in 12 games prior to Tuesday. 

"Really pleased. Fantastic atmosphere, fantastic evening," Potter said at his post-match press conference. "The players and supporters were tremendous. We had to be against a team that have 10 wins on the bounce. It was a special night."

The Premier League side were without the injured Thiago Silva and unregistered Benoit Badiashile, with Marc Cucurella coming into the back three, and Potter was impressed with the Spaniard, who has faced criticism from fans for recent performances.

"I think he got man of the match, didn't he?" Potter asked. "I'm delighted for him. When you're having a bad time like we have, you accept the criticism. Marc has dealt with it well. We've tried to shield him a bit and pick the moment. With Benoit not available, he gave us the left foot and balance in a back-three and thankfully he delivered a top performance."

It made it back-to-back wins for Chelsea for the first time since October, and Potter addressed the recent dip in form and fan reaction directed at him.

"I think the supporters have been really fair with us," he said. "Supporters care, so when the results aren't what they want, they feel pain. They need to articulate that pain somehow, to get rid of it.

"They've been really supportive, they really have. They've stuck with the team and helped us on the pitch. You always need a bit of luck. I would say before the World Cup, we had nine players out. If you have all these players out, and tonight [Dortmund] had some players missing and that goes in our favour. I'm not going to complain about that at all."

He later added: "Inevitably, in life, you're going to have bad times and good times. I don't see any other way to look at it. It's how you react to the bad times, get some perspective and analyse it in the correct way. Things are never bad forever but it felt like that sometimes."

Potter was also asked if he had spoken to owner Todd Boehly, who was in attendance, to which he quipped: "Yeah I have, yeah. We're still here, I'm still here."

Raheem Sterling had full confidence in Kai Havertz's ability to convert a penalty at the second time of asking, even if Chelsea boss Graham Potter could not bring himself to watch.

Havertz needed two stabs at a second-half penalty against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday but kept his nerve on the retake to send the Blues into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 aggregate win.

The Germany international hit the post with his first attempt, but referee Danny Makkelie ordered the spot-kick to be retaken after the VAR adjudged Salih Ozcan to have encroached before Havertz struck the ball.

On his second attempt, Havertz sent the ball the same way as on his first, though this time found the bottom-right corner.

Havertz conceded he was nervous stepping up to the spot for a second time, Sterling – who opened the scoring just before half-time at Stamford Bridge – had no doubt in his team-mate.

Asked if he considered putting himself forward to take over spot-kick duties, Sterling told BT Sport: "The second time definitely, but I've seen Kai shoot penalties so many times in training and bro, I was so confident.

"Even though he missed the first one, he knew exactly what he was doing, he was confident and we knew he was going to put it in the back of the net."

It was perhaps not the same for Chelsea coach Potter, who was unable to bring himself to watch Havertz's second attempt.

"After the first one, I stood up and watched it. So I said 'no, I’m going to sit down now'. Just listened to the crowd and thankfully the noise was there," Potter said on BT Sport.

Asked how much he knew of the controversial decision to award a retake, Potter said: "I knew they’d encroached – our assistant, who's better than the rules than me, explained it. So we got a little bit of luck there, I guess."

While he might not have had the nerve to watch the second spot-kick, Potter was full of admiration for Havertz.

He added: "It was him or Reece [James], to be honest. Sometimes they have to feel it on the pitch.

"Obviously we have confidence in Kai. I wasn't watching it but I was delighted when I heard the roar. Taking penalties is not for me, so I am in awe of anybody [who does]."

Chelsea have now won their last two matches, following a run of just one victory in 11 games.

"We have to [build on it]," said Havertz. "The last few weeks, we lost a lot of games, but the Champions League is an important tournament, the last one we're in, so we have to give everything for that.

"Today we showed character, showed we want to win this competition again. Now we have to also win games in the Premier League."

Sterling said: "It was a massive performance, we had to dig deep, we took our chances. Recently we haven't had the luck, but we felt as a team we knew we could do it. Kai did it in the end."

Graham Potter knows Chelsea's Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund can be "a special night" after they finally returned to winning ways.

The Blues will welcome the Bundesliga side to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday for the second leg of their last-16 tie as they look to overturn a one-goal deficit.

Chelsea head into the match on the back of a first win in seven games after a 1-0 victory over Leeds United on Saturday, handing them a much-needed boost to their flagging season.

Potter, who has been in need of positive results to ease the pressure on his position, is looking forward to the chance to back it up with success in Europe.

"I agree it's a big game, an exciting game," he said. "[It is] a chance to go through to the last eight of the Champions League. It'll be a special night.

"Our thoughts are on being positive and trying to win the game. It's a good challenge for us, a big challenge for us. We're excited for it and looking forward to it."

Having lost the first leg in Dortmund 1-0 thanks to a Karim Adeyemi goal, Chelsea are prepared for another close-quarters scrap in London this week.

Potter further revealed Kai Havertz would be the team's designated penalty taker in the absence of Jorginho, but otherwise delivered mixed team news.

"Reece [James], we'll make a decision on tomorrow," he added. "Christian Pulisic is in the squad, but it is too soon for N'Golo [Kante] but he's looking good [to return soon].

"It's a complex one because he has had a long time out. It'll be a case of how we get him back up to speed to play Premier League or Champions League football."

One player Potter was questioned on was Atletico Madrid loanee Joao Felix, who has made a slow start to his Chelsea career.

But the Portuguese's star power and potential remains enough for his boss, who added: "His quality is clear. He makes things happen from an attacking perspective.

"[He] has hit the bar twice and had other chances. The fact he can play in many positions is good. We've used him more centrally, but he can play anywhere in the attacking phase of the game."

Ruben Loftus-Cheek says Chelsea owe Graham Potter a victory in their crunch Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund.

Chelsea snapped a three-game losing streak with a 1-0 win over Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The Blues had won only one game in their previous 11 before that match, in which Loftus-Cheek filled in at right-wing-back in the absence of Reece James.

Now, Potter's team trail Dortmund 1-0 heading into the second leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday, but with home advantage on their side, Chelsea want to repay their head coach's hard work.

"We definitely owe it to the manager. He is obviously a fantastic manager, nobody can argue against that after what he has done with Brighton and other things," Loftus-Cheek told reporters.

"It is up to us as well. We have massive respect for the manager, the way he has been sitting in front of the media with us in this poor form, and he has stuck up for us players.

"So we owe it to the manager to perform as best we can on the pitch and turn things around."

Chelsea are 10th in the Premier League, 11 points back from Tottenham in fourth place.

"A team like Chelsea, we can't accept mediocrity. We understand we have been mediocre in this recent run, and we are not just accepting it," Loftus-Cheek continued.

"It might look like that from the outside, but it's not the case. We are hurting from the losses and the draws, because it is not in us as Chelsea players, and we are fighting our hardest to turn it around.

"It is not nice to hear all the criticism coming our way at Chelsea, to the manager, to the players. We had the poor run, so of course you are going to get that.

"We have obviously had a poor run of form, and we needed to turn it around. We may look back at this [Leeds] win as a turning point in weeks to come. You never know.

"We have got this win, and then if we win against Dortmund and then keep winning... we have the quality and the players and the manager to do that.

"We don't expect to stay in that poor run of form, but we have to stick together and come through it."

Graham Potter sees Chelsea's 1-0 win over Leeds United as "something to build on" ahead of a "massive" Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund.

Wesley Fofana's first Premier League goal eased the pressure on head coach Potter following a miserable run of one win in 11 matches.

Chelsea had suffered three consecutive defeats without scoring a goal before stopping the rot against relegation-threatened Leeds at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The Blues face Dortmund at home in the Champions League on Tuesday, needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit in order to reach the quarter-finals.

Potter hopes a much-needed win over lowly Leeds will just be the start.

He told BBC Sport: "I'm delighted for the players and supporters. We've had to suffer. It's been a challenging period. I thought we played well in the first half and attacked well.

"We were a team who had something to lose so it was great character from the players, they cared and showed togetherness in the team. It gives us something to build on.

"People care. Players want to win and supporters want us to do well, 1-0 in the Premier League, anything can happen, when you consider the run we're on, it's not surprising [there were nerves]. The players fought for the win and it allows us to keep moving forward."

Potter added on the showdown with Dortmund: "We just have to focus on the game. You can't control what the noise is outside. It's a huge game for us and a huge opportunity. We have to fight for it.

"Every game is important. It's a confidence boost and a morale boost. We have a massive game on Tuesday."

Potter was full of praise for Fofana, who marked his return to the side with a towering header from Ben Chilwell's corner to secure all three points.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion boss said: "Wesley Fofana has been a big miss for us. He's one of the players who has been out for a while.

"He is physical, brave with the ball and does what he does well in the box which is attack the ball. It gave us a win."

Wesley Fofana scored his first Premier League goal to ease the pressure on Graham Potter as Chelsea beat Leeds United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

A dismal run of one win in 11 games had led to increasing speculation over head coach Potter's position, but the Blues lifted the gloom with a much-needed victory on Saturday.

Fofana's towering second-half header eased the tension as mid-table Chelsea ended a run of three consecutive defeats without scoring.

In a clash between two sides who have been so short of a cutting edge this season, it was relegation-threatened Leeds who fired another blank to suffer a first top-flight defeat under new boss Javi Gracia.

Chelsea started with a great tempo and Fofana missed a good chance to put them in front when he headed Ben Chilwell's corner over.

Kai Havertz should have opened the scoring when he was sent clear, only to be denied by Illan Meslier, before a sweeping Blues move ended with Joao Felix rattling the crossbar after Raheem Sterling picked him out from the byline.

There was a sense of deja vu as Chelsea's finishing continued to let them down, an unmarked Chilwell volleying wide from inside the penalty area.

That elusive goal finally arrived in the 53rd minute. Fofana rose highest to meet Chilwell's corner and a powerful header from six yards out gave Meslier no chance.

Leeds reacted well – a measured right-foot strike from Tyler Adams was narrowly wide while Georginio Rutter's saw an effort blocked by Kalidou Koulibaly.

Chelsea passed up half-chances at the other end, yet Leeds lacked the quality in the final third to inflict any punishment, with Meslier heading at his counterpart Kepa Arrizabalaga from a corner deep in stoppage time.

Chelsea versus Leeds United is one of English football's spiciest rivalries, and with so much on the line this weekend, the latest instalment could be phenomenally tasty.

If Chelsea are going to make a charge for the European places, they surely have no time left to lose, while Leeds are fighting to stave off relegation.

Graham Potter is battling to prove himself as head coach of Chelsea, while new Leeds boss Javi Gracia will be looking to achieve a feat last accomplished by Terry Venables, a man who has had a boot in both these camps.

It is a game that evokes images of the likes of Ron 'Chopper' Harris and Jack Charlton taking no prisoners in rugged battles, and those that shirk on Saturday will likely pay a high price.

Ahead of kick-off, Stats Perform previews the big game with help from Opta's best game data.

Return to the 90s

It was more the 1960s and 1970s when the hostility between these sides was at its height, but you have to flash back to the decade when the Premier League was born to pick up on some key context for this newest battle of Stamford Bridge.

Leeds are looking to complete their first league double over Chelsea since their First Division title-winning campaign of 1991-92, when they won 3-0 at home and 1-0 away. This season, Leeds have won 3-0 at Elland Road against Chelsea, a result that was soon followed by Thomas Tuchel's departure, so what price another 1-0 win for the Whites?

Chelsea enter the weekend having not scored more than once in any of their last nine Premier League games. Indeed, they have managed a meagre four goals during this dry run. Only once have Chelsea experienced a longer such run in the competition, going 17 Premier League games without netting more than once between August and December 1993.

Potter's team have won just two of their last 15 games (D6 L7) in the league, Chelsea's fewest over a period of 15+ games in the league since snatching just two victories from 19 matches between December 1994 and April 1995 under Glenn Hoddle. This lean run didn't stop Hoddle being appointed England boss barely 12 months later.

It was right at the end of the decade when Leeds last won in the league at Chelsea, with Stephen McPhail's double earning a 2-0 road success for the West Yorkshire visitors in December 1999, taking David O'Leary's team to the top of the table. Chelsea are unbeaten in their last six at home against Leeds in the competition since, winning the last five.

End in sight to Potter's plight?

If Chelsea do not emerge from their rut this weekend, you have to wonder if they ever will do so under former Brighton and Hove Albion boss Potter.

He came to west London with a deservedly big reputation and made a strong start, but Chelsea's free-fall means questions are being asked about whether he has a future at the club.

So far, owner Todd Boehly has resisted making a change, but the heavy spending has to bring a return at some stage, and if Chelsea cannot see off Leeds then Potter will face next-level scrutiny.

No Premier League teams have fewer away wins (one) or fewer away points (six) than Leeds this season (West Ham and Nottingham Forest match them on both counts), with Leeds' lone win being their shock success at Liverpool in October.

Yet Leeds are bound to fancy this one, and why not? After all, Chelsea have lost their last three games across all competitions, failing to score in any of those. Chelsea have not lost four in a row without scoring since March 1929, but it could happen again.

Working Auba time?

Clearly, Potter does not fancy Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the spearhead to his attack, starting the Gabonese striker only four times in the league since taking over, with the former Arsenal and Barcelona man scoring just once.

Aubameyang has played just 131 minutes in the league since the World Cup, with a seven-minute outing at Tottenham last weekend his first appearance in over a month.

Surely, though, it has to be worth giving a once proven goalscorer more of an opportunity during this barren patch. Chelsea have scored just 23 goals in their 24 Premier League games this season, their lowest at this stage of a campaign since 1993-94, when they had 22 at this point.

Gracia to match El Tel?

Leeds won their first match under Gracia against Southampton last time out, so could the Spaniard pull off two Premier League wins from two attempts? The only manager to win their first two Premier League games with Leeds was Venables, a former Chelsea player, in August 2002.

Gracia also faced Chelsea in his second Premier League game as Watford boss back in February 2018, and the Hornets stung the then reigning champions 4-1 at Vicarage Road.

Five years on, could history be about to repeat itself?

Graham Potter will not hide behind the support he has been given by Chelsea's owners and is not listening to the noise over his future ahead of a clash with Leeds United.

Blues head coach Potter was only appointed last September, but is under huge pressure following a run of just one win in 11 games.

A 2-0 London derby defeat at Tottenham last Sunday was Chelsea's third loss in a row without scoring a goal and they sit down in 10th spot in the Premier League.

Potter has been backed by the Blues hierarchy, but knows his side must stop the rot when relegation-threatened Leeds come to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Asked if he still has support from the owners, Potter said: "There is support and I've spoken to them. But I'm not going to hide behind that. The results haven't been good enough."

He added: "My position is that I need to focus on the next game. Whatever the discussions are, that's not for me."

The former Brighton and Hove Albion boss is not paying much attention to speculation over his job during such a challenging period.

Asked how he copes with the noise, he replied: "By not listening too much to it is the honest answer. I take it step by step, focus on the next thing. You get through the days and the week.

"We're fighting for improvement. Talking is one thing, we have to do it on the pitch."

Potter has no issue with fans voicing their disapproval, as they did following a 1-0 home defeat to Southampton last month.

He said: "Supporters care and how that comes out is understandable. They're hurting and we are too. We thank them for their support – and when you lose to the team that are bottom you expect a negative response.

"We've not given them enough to give them a reason to be excited about the team."

Potter revealed Thiago Silva is expected to be out for around six weeks after suffering a knee injury, while Mason Mount will miss the game against Leeds due to an abdominal issue and Reece James is a doubt because of a tight hamstring.

N'Golo Kante (hamstring) came through a first full training session on Friday but needs time to step up his fitness, while Edouard Mendy (finger) is making progress.

Mikel Arteta suggested there is little that can be done to combat online abuse in the wake of the death threats received by Chelsea head coach Graham Potter.

Potter was hired in September following Thomas Tuchel's dismissal but Chelsea have endured a barren run of form and sit tenth in the Premier League.

Indeed, Chelsea have won just three of their last 17 games in all competitions, losing their last three on the run.

Potter revealed that he and his family have been the target of online abuse and death threats but Arsenal manager Arteta is unsure what can be done to tackle the issue.

"It’s very difficult to control, I think," Arteta said at a press conference.

"We have had this discussion many, many times. Where do you draw the line, what is acceptable, and what is not?

"Unfortunately, it happens, it's very easy to hide behind a phone."

Arteta also endured a slow start to his tenure when he was first appointed by Arsenal but refused to comment on whether he had received similar levels of abuse as Potter has done.

Despite this, he did reveal that he often reaches out to fellow managers to provide support during challenging times.

He added: "When you have a close relationship with managers, which I had in Spain, some of them were in Italy, some of them were here of course, you get in touch – sometimes they give you support.

"We all do when someone is going through a difficult time. Maybe not on the phone but just a nice text of support."

Arsenal face Everton on Wednesday with the chance to move five points clear of second-place Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta declared William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have a "happy marriage" as he backed his defenders after their public spat at Leicester City.

A heated coming together between the pair at the end of Arsenal's 1-0 win on Saturday came to light after the game, but Arteta insists it should be viewed as a positive.

With Arsenal hunting down a first Premier League title since the 2003-04 season, Arteta said there is no room for "robots" in his team.

He wants to see personality, even if it means his players jostling each other on the pitch at times.

"They are a happy marriage," Arteta said. "They love playing with each other, but they are very demanding with each other. This is good and everything's fine.

"I don't want robots, I want players with feeling, with passion, that demand from each other. At the end they have that chemistry. Those two certainly have that chemistry on and off the field."

Arsenal had the likes of Kolo Toure, Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell in their last title-winning defence, and Arteta is glad his team have similarly imposing personalties.

The Gunners face Everton on Wednesday, and victory would take them to 60 points from 25 games. They would be matching a club record, having also totted up 60 from 25 in 2003-04 and 2007-08.

Arsenal have won 99 of their 203 league games against Everton (D43 L61), and can become the first team in English league history to achieve 100 victories against an opponent.

They lost 1-0 at Everton at the start of February, however, in what was Sean Dyche's first game as Toffees boss.

This time, Arteta says it can be a different story as his side attempt to pull five points clear of Manchester City.

"It's a case of doing things better than we did when we played them a few weeks ago and earning the right to win the game," he said. "Hopefully tomorrow we'll play better than we did.

"With Sean it's quite clear what he's done and where the success they've had is coming from.

"With every manager it's the same. We have to look at certain matches and try to get the right tactics to beat them but also the same mentality and high expectation that we demand in the game."

While Arsenal flourish, the same cannot be said for London rivals Chelsea, who are withering in mid-table despite a huge spend on new players.

Arteta feels empathy towards beleaguered Chelsea head coach Graham Potter, who revealed last week he has received malicious emails wishing death on him and loved ones as the Blues struggle to find form.

Although he declined to say whether he experienced similar during his own difficult times at Arsenal, Arteta made it clear he understood the pain Potter is experiencing.

"Absolutely, we are colleagues," Arteta said, "and we all know the pressure and the demands and the uncertainty this industry has.

"At the end the ball has to go into the net. There are many factors that sometimes prevent it that you cannot control. Of course, you empathise because you suffered it, and you know how it is when you're going through these moments."

Arteta has managed to switch off when away from work, even when he was facing pressure to deliver results. Consecutive finishes of eighth, eighth and fifth have preceded this season's concerted title tilt.

"You can have difficulties in your job and challenges which we do, when you lose but when you're winning as well, because this job is so demanding," Arteta said.

"But you cannot destroy your life because of that. Your family, your friends, your loved ones don't deserve it to affect their lives in such a negative way because you don't win a football match.

"That balance in my case was critical, but you need some help. Sometimes when you are in that position, it's not easy to see it."

Graham Potter accepts he does not have enough goodwill in the bank with Chelsea supporters to prevent increasing speculation over his future.

The Blues slipped to yet another defeat on Sunday as Oliver Skipp and Harry Kane handed Tottenham a 2-0 Premier League victory.

The result means Chelsea have failed to win any of their last eight away games in the Premier League (D4 L4) – their longest such run in the competition since a 16-match run between April 2000 and March 2001.

Despite being well aware of the pressure he is under, Potter insists his focus is on turning around the Blues' fortunes.

"There's always that question [over his future]," he said. "And you can't stop the questions. With results like they are, you accept it.

"I haven't done enough at this club to have too much good faith. I accept that. My job isn't to worry too much about that.

"I understand the question, but I have to keep focusing on the team and helping the players.

"They are good lads who want to win, but at the moment we're suffering, and that is my responsibility.

"I need to focus on what I can control, which is the next day and the next training session.

"Our supporters have been very fair and supported the team. I've no complaints with the supporters. They're entitled to be upset and angry with the results we've got and that is my responsibility."

Chelsea have now scored a measly six goals across their past 12 games in the Premier League, with no side netting fewer in the competition since the start of November.

Potter acknowledged the scale of the issue, but the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss warned against any quick fixes.

"It's a combination of a few things and it's not easy to answer," he added. 

"We've had chances, but we've not scored them. Today it wasn't a case of that. It was a tight game and the first goal was always going to be important.

"There is an element of players coming back from injury, getting them up to speed. As a team, we're not there in terms of how we want to look and how we want to function."

Tottenham cranked up the pressure on Graham Potter as Oliver Skipp's first goal for the club and Harry Kane's late strike secured a 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday.

Potter's position has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks after a torrid run of form, and that looks set to intensify after yet another miserable defeat.

The Blues failed to take advantage of a reprieve shortly before half-time when Hakim Ziyech's red card was overturned following a VAR review, with Skipp powering home immediately after the restart.

Kane added a second in the 82nd minute to move Spurs four points clear of Newcastle United, although the Magpies have two games in hand. Chelsea remain in 10th – a whopping 14 points adrift of the Champions League qualification places.

Chelsea's plans took a hit in the 19th minute when Thiago Silva was forced off after sustaining an injury as he thwarted Harry Kane inside the penalty area.

Spurs went agonisingly close to taking the lead shortly before the half-hour mark when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's effort from the edge of the area was deflected onto the base of the post.

Chelsea momentarily thought they had been reduced to 10 men in first-half stoppage time when Ziyech received a red card for striking Emerson Royal in the face, but his punishment was downgraded to a caution following a pitch-side review by referee Stuart Attwell.

Spurs started the second half in electric fashion, grabbing the opener 19 seconds after the restart thanks to Skipp's thunderous strike from 20 yards that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.

Kane then made sure of victory inside the closing 10 minutes with a simple back-post finish from a corner.

What does it mean? Chelsea's dire season goes on

Chelsea's dismal run continued at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the Blues now having won just two of their past 15 Premier League matches.

They rarely looked like finding the back of the net here and have now scored just once in their past six games in all competitions.

Spurs, meanwhile, have won three consecutive Premier League home games without conceding for the first time since April 2019. That previous run was their first three matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Speedy Skipp

Skipp's sublime strike 19 seconds into the second half was the earliest such goal in a Premier League game since Gerard Deulofeu for Watford against West Ham in May 2019 (45:11).

Ziyech struggles

Ziyech endured a game to forget. He can consider himself fortunate to have seen his red card overturned, given he did make contact with Emerson's face. Potter hauled him off just after the hour mark anyway after failing to make a single key pass.

What's next?

Tottenham travel to Sheffield United for an FA Cup fifth-round clash on Wednesday, while Chelsea host Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday. It remains to be seen whether Potter will be in charge for that.

Chelsea boss Graham Potter revealed he has received messages wishing death on him and his family during his short time in charge at Stamford Bridge.

Potter, whose team travel to face Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday, has struggled to build a winning team since replacing Thomas Tuchel in September.

While Chelsea have bought extensively, assembling a large squad at great expense, Potter's Chelsea sit 10th in the table and are almost certain to miss out on a top-four finish.

The head coach has faced criticism in recent times, with a 1-0 home defeat to Southampton last week a low point of his reign.

Chelsea have scored just six goals in their last 11 Premier League games and have netted more than once in just one of their last 14 league outings.

While some fans still show patience, others have turned against Potter, and a small minority have expressed their disenchantment viciously.

Potter said on Friday: "If you go to work and somebody is swearing at you, it's not going to be pleasant. If you’re referred to as the worst person in the history of the club.

"I want to succeed here. There's this nonsense I don't care. My response would be, 'Where’s your evidence on that?'.

"Not that I'd let you do it, but you can ask my family how my life has been for me and for them. It's been not pleasant at all."

He remains "really grateful" to have the Chelsea job and knows some people will be dismissive of the problems of a football coach on a huge salary.

"Nevertheless if you ask me, 'Is it hard, is it tough, is it nice to hear?', as much as I've had support, I've had some not particularly nice emails come through that want me to die and want my kids to die. That's obviously not pleasant," Potter said.

He sees talk of him facing pressure in the media all the time, and is often answering questions on the subject.

"And if we don't get the results then obviously that's what happens," Potter said. "You suffer, and you get upset. When you're in private you show real emotion with your family."

The former Brighton and Hove Albion boss said he would continue to "act with an integrity that is right for me".

"I never want to be anybody else. I don't want to be fake," Potter said. "I'll do my best and if my best isn't good enough, OK, I accept that."

Senior Chelsea players have pointed to "the worst pre-season they've had" as a possible reason for their poor form, according to head coach Graham Potter.

The Blues make the short trip to Tottenham on the back of a four-game winless streak in the Premier League, including a home loss to rock-bottom Southampton last week.

For Potter, who succeeded Thomas Tuchel in September, the pressure has continued to build as his side have slipped further down the table.

Ahead of another difficult encounter for his misfiring team, he acknowledged there were no easy answers and discussed conversations he held with some of his players about their preparation for the season before he arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion.

The club visited the United States for three games in July, before playing Serie A side Udinese twice in Italy ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.

"It is really tough," he said. "A few weeks ago, [I said] it is the toughest job of football, and there are reasons for that.

"Speaking to a few of the experienced guys, they said it was the worst pre-season they've had. Organisationally, the tour didn't work as well as they'd like. I wasn't there so I can't say.

"We thought we had made progress, but against Southampton, [it] was below par. The sky can fall. These are inconvenient facts, but that's the situation."

Potter insisted he still has the full backing of owner Todd Boehly and the Chelsea board, and added that he expects and deserves to be under the microscope.

"With results as they are, you accept criticism," he said. "That should come, that is fair. [But] the mood here has always been positive and respectful.

"That is not to say it is easy at all. My family suffers, my mental health suffers. Personally, it is hard. I've been under pressure here for four months."

Captain Cesar Azpilicueta was taken to hospital during the defeat to Southampton after he suffered a concussion, and will not be available for the Spurs clash.

Potter was pleased with his improvement though, adding: "He is as OK as you can be when you've had that. He won't be ready for the weekend, but he's doing well."

Angel Di Maria's time in Europe may be winding down, with his Juventus contract expiring at the end of this season.

The winger, who turned 35 last week, is yet to agree an extension with the Bianconeri, sparking talk he may opt to return to his homeland.

However, the 2022 World Cup winner recently said he was "happy" in Turin, and in Europe, without committing to any direction beyond this season.

TOP STORY – BARCELONA PLOT BID FOR FREE AGENT DI MARIA

Barcelona are weighing up a shock bid to land Angel Di Maria as a free agent at the end of this season, claims Tuttomercatoweb.

Di Maria has previously expressed his desire to one day join hometown club Rosario Central but, at 35, may be tempted by another stint at the top level.

Atletico Madrid are also believed to be interested in the former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Paris-Saint-Germain winger.

ROUND-UP

– Bayern Munich will provide opposition to Paris Saint-Germain and attempt to sign Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, claims Fichajes.

– PSG are keen to bring in Manchester United starlet Alejandro Garnacho, according to Mundo Deportivo. United are trying to extend the 18-year-old Argentinian's contract, which expires in 2024.

– Real Madrid are interested in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but Napoli will not sell him for a price lower than €100m, claims Diario AS.

– Newcastle United are monitoring the status of Arsenal's Kiernan Tierney, who has fallen behind Oleksandr Zinchenko as their preferred left-back, according to Football Insider.

– Arsenal are front-runners in the pursuit to sign Inter defender Denzel Dumfries, reports Tuttosport. The Gunners have moved ahead of both Chelsea and Manchester United in the race for the Dutchman's signature.

– Fichajes reports that Zinedine Zidane, Mauricio Pochettino, Diego Simeone and Luis Enrique are all on Chelsea's shortlist to replace under-pressure manager Graham Potter, although The Mirror claims owner Todd Boehly has no intention of sacking him yet.