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.

Chelsea need to keep faith in Graham Potter despite the "massive pressure" on their head coach, according to Gary Neville.

The Todd Boehly-led ownership group backed Potter significantly in the January transfer window, spending close to £300million to bring in a host of major signings.

Joao Felix arrived on a short-term loan from Atletico Madrid, while Chelsea beat Arsenal to Mykhaylo Mudryk and splashed a Premier League record £106.8million (€121m) on Enzo Fernandez from Benfica.

That has not eased Chelsea's woes, though, after the Blues went down 1-0 to top-flight strugglers Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday – leaving Potter with just one win in his last 10 games.

But former Manchester United captain Neville cannot see Boehly dismissing Potter just yet.

He said on his Gary Neville Podcast: "Potter is under massive pressure. You can see it in his face. The chances they missed in the second half and the boos at the end of the game, felt a little ominous.

"I think they'll want to do the right thing, the Chelsea owners.

"They've sacked a manager very early in the season in Thomas Tuchel, they've owned their new manager, they've brought recruitment assistants in alongside him, so they've invested heavily in Graham and his team… but they have to hold their nerve if they want to see it through.

"But I suspect that nerve is being tested, as any owner's would be when you've spent that level of money and you're losing games at home to the [side] bottom of the league."

Chelsea are languishing 10th in the Premier League, already 23 points behind leaders Arsenal and 11 from the top four, and their struggles in front of goal persist.

The Blues have scored just four goals in 10 matches in all competitions and failed to score in six of those games, drawing a blank in more outings in 2023 than any other Premier League club.

Neville believes a bloated squad is causing issues for Potter, who is yet to replicate his impressive work with Brighton and Hove Albion in his new job in west London.

"He's a fantastic coach," Neville said. "You get the idea he'd like to build a pattern of play with a group of players on a consistent basis and he's got 33 of them staring at him down the barrel saying 'play me'.

"And these aren't junior players, they're senior internationals and I can't imagine what it must be like to have 33 players.

"He's got 22 players who are not going to play. If they're all fit – how do you even get them all into a training session?

"They needed to unload players off Graham Potter to take the pressure of handling all those players that are expecting to play every single week."

Neville suggested Potter is suffering from contrasting interests at Chelsea, with Boehly keen to make statement signings.

"I've used the word chaotic and I think it has been chaotic in the first six months of the Boehly ownership," Neville said. "I won't change my mind on that.

"They've invested heavily, they're putting their money where their mouth is and are saying all the right things.

"But at this moment in time, it won't be a successful project when you have 33 players all looking at the manager and a manager who wants to build a measured project.

"It feels a little bit conflicted with what Potter would ordinarily be really strong at and what the ownership seem to want in respect of filling a squad and accumulating players of that sort of volume."

Cesar Azpilicueta is responsive after being stretchered off following a head injury in Chelsea's 1-0 home defeat to Southampton, boss Graham Potter has revealed.

The defender took a boot to the face from Sekou Mara while defending a corner at Stamford Bridge, with a lengthy stoppage in play while he was attended to by medics.

The Blues captain was subsequently taken from the field and to hospital, as the hosts failed to find a response to James Ward-Prowse's first-half free-kick.

Potter offered an update on Azpilicueta's status after the game, revealing the 33-year-old is in medical care and able to hold a conversation.

"He is in hospital," he said. "He is conscious and speaking to his wife. Hopefully, he is in the best place.

"We are monitoring him. He needs to take all the precautions we need to take now."

Defeat marked a fourth game without victory in the Premier League for Chelsea, who remain firmly mired in mid-table despite a raft of expensive transfers last month.

Potter acknowledged the blame is his to shoulder for now, adding: "It was below par in the first half. I take as much responsibility as anyone in that.

"I thought we deserved a goal in the second half. When you don't score, it is obviously difficult. After a 1-0 defeat at home, any criticism you get is understandable.

"We've had a lot of injuries [and] challenges integrating players. A lot of people will say I'm the problem, and I'm not saying that their opinion is not worth articulating. My job is to work."

Graham Potter is hoping for a quick resolution to talks around Mason Mount's Chelsea future, although he acknowledged the situation is "complicated".

Mount's contract at Stamford Bridge is due to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season, and reports suggest progress has stalled in discussions between Mount and Chelsea over a new deal.

Premier League rivals Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool have been credited with an interest in Mount should he decide against staying at Stamford Bridge.

The midfielder would be a big miss for Chelsea, having scored three goals and assisted three more in all competitions this season.

Only Raheem Sterling (nine) and Kai Havertz (seven) have been involved in more goals for a profligate Chelsea side.

"It is always complicated," Potter said of Mount's future. "There's always negotiations.

"It is best to leave it between Mason and the club. It is the best way for that to be dealt with.

"He has been fantastic to work with, an important player. Of course, I hope it gets resolved quickly."

Graham Potter cannot wait for Chelsea's luck to change in front of goal to turn around their poor run of form.

A 1-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday was the latest in a disappointing string of results that has seen them win just one game in nine matches in all competitions since the turn of the year.

Karim Adeyemi's goal means Chelsea have a deficit to overturn at Stamford Bridge on March 7 if they are to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, though the Blues were perhaps unfortunate not to be taking a positive result back to London after an encouraging attacking display.

Potter's side had 21 shots, with eight on target, accumulating an xG (expected goals) of 2.2, while Joao Felix also rattled the woodwork. It was the most attempts Chelsea had registered in a Champions League knockout match without scoring since the 2011 quarter-final first leg against Manchester United.

Potter appreciated his team's increased attacking threat against Dortmund, but also feels there is more his side can do having now drawn a blank five times in their last nine matches.

"I don't like to use luck as something to wait for as you can't control it," Potter told reporters. "Clearly you need it.

"The Dortmund game was a positive in terms of chances created. The criticism for us and the fair criticism is that we haven't attacked as well as I would have liked us to. It was closer.

"We feel there's progress, but you play a game and you need to win it. There is a lot going on, integrating new players and all of the time playing good opponents. That's where we're at."

Despite Chelsea's recent bluntness, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has not started a game since early November with Kai Havertz largely preferred to the former Arsenal captain through the middle.

Yet Potter said of the striker: "Pierre remains an important part of his squad. His attitude has been really good.

"There's David [Datro] Fofana too who is a young player with potential. There are other forwards as well."

Chelsea will look for just a second win in 2023 when they host Southampton on Saturday, aiming to beat a side bottom of the Premier League and without a manager having sacked Nathan Jones last weekend.

Asked whether the game is a must-win fixture to keep hopes of European qualification alive, Potter replied: "It's a game we want to win. There's no point in focusing on four months away.

"We're focused on Southampton. We have to be ready for that challenge, to play at home and try to get three points.

"I thought the Dortmund performance away from home was another step forward, but we have a different challenge at the weekend. [We are] satisfied but [there is] always room to improve.

"Anything can come at you because they [Southampton] have a caretaker manager [Ruben Selles] and a week to prepare. We have no reference, that's the challenge. I think there's a big challenge coming our way."

Graham Potter urged Chelsea to not "wait around for luck" but hailed a "dominant" performance despite a slender defeat at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last 16.

Karim Adeyemi's third goal in as many games for Dortmund in all competitions, one more than in his previous 20 appearances, proved the difference in a narrow 1-0 win at Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.

Chelsea should have arguably been out of sight before Adeyemi's 63rd-minute strike, with Joao Felix squandering a pair of glorious first-half opportunities in an entertaining encounter.

Gregor Kobel had a fine game in goal for Edin Terzic's side too, and Potter appeared far from worried after an encouraging display ahead of the return meeting at Stamford Bridge on March 7.

The Chelsea head coach told BT Sport: "I thought we were the dominant team in the second half.

"It is half-time in the tie, we have to regroup. You can see the supporters' reaction, they were really positive, they can see the performance of the team, they gave us a fantastic reception.

"We are a team in progress, we know there are a lot of positive things there.

"You always need a bit of luck but you can't wait around for luck, you have to keep working.

"The boys have been fantastic with their work but we are still suffering at the moment. But we will keep on working."

Visiting Chelsea had 21 shots to their hosts' 14, with six more on target than Dortmund's two, as the Blues dominated without reward in Germany.

Potter's side amassed an expected goals tally of 2.14 to the 1.41 of Terzic's men as well, although all that mattered was Adeyemi's brilliant finish after a roaring counter-attack from a Chelsea corner.

Struggles in front of goal are not a new problem for Potter, with Chelsea managing just four goals in nine matches in all competitions and failing to score in five of those games.  

The Blues have drawn a blank in more outings in 2023 than any other Premier League club, yet Potter was pleased with what he saw – apart from Adeyemi's ruthless finish.

"It was a very strong performance, especially the second half," he added. "We created a lot of chances and efforts on goal but I am disappointed with the goal we conceded.

"It is a counter-attack from a corner, we were close to scoring ourselves. They broke on us. It is disappointing, we need to do better.

"Apart from that, we were really, really good, we just have to score. We had good attacking movements, clarity in terms of how we wanted to attack and got into the right areas. The attitude was really positive as well."

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