Chelsea manager Graham Potter has admitted that he and his players are having a tough time, while requesting that the fans remain onside, as Thursday's defeat to Fulham extended their torrid Premier League run. Debutant Joao Felix was sent off for the visitors, who fell to a narrow defeat and invited more tough questions onto Potter just months after his appointment.
Felix being thrown straight in at the deep end was the big story before kick-off and he continued to command attention once the match got underway. The Atletico Madrid loanee dazzled with tricks and flicks in the first half, but a moment of madness saw him sent off for a high tackle on Kenny Tete after the break.
By that time, Kalidou Koulibaly's scruffy finish had cancelled out Willian's opener against his former side, but Carlos Vinicius came up with a late header to make sure all three points stayed at Craven Cottage. That extends Chelsea's torrid run to one win in their last eight matches and their third defeat in a row.
After the final whistle, Potter acknowledged that the run has been tough on everyone but asked Blues fans to keep showing their support for his struggling team.
Graham Potter faces renewed questions on his future as Chelsea's dismal run continues (Image: GETTY)
"I can understand [the fans] are frustrated because we've lost. That is normal. I made sure I went over and clapped them because we appreciate the support. They're suffering and, believe you me, we're suffering. It's important we stick together."
Potter also gave a more detailed assessment of the 2-1 defeat to BT Sport with the former Brighton boss visibly feeling the effects of another tough evening. "We started well and had a good chance early on," he explained.
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"We felt in decent control of the game, we created some opportunities. We had a couple of mistakes leading to their goal and then you have to dig in a bit. The red card changes the game but I thought the application was good when we went down to 10 men.
"We're disappointed with the goal because I thought we could have done better with that and we're really disappointed to lose. The hits just keep coming at the moment, that's how it is.
"I think [Denis] Zakaria is another injury but we'll see how it is. It's tough and I feel for the supporters and the players. There were some positives today, some good chances but we missed final passes and we have to keep working. We have to stay together and stay focused to try and get the three points next time."
Joao Felix impressed before being given his marching orders (Image: Getty)
The bulk of Chelsea's issue this season is a lack of goals, having scored at a rate of just over one per game so far. Felix, who became the first Premier League debutant to be sent off in almost a decade, was signed in an attempt to fix that but the 23-year-old now faces a three-match ban, which will see him absent for games against Crystal Palace and Fulham, not to mention a trip to face Liverpool at Anfield.
Potter is now in a desperate scramble for points with Chelsea still in mid-table and no better than when they parted ways with Thomas Tuchel last year. Todd Boehly and Clearlake spent heavily during the summer and have done so again this month, with four new arrivals already bedding in at Stamford Bridge.
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