Graham Potter admitted Chelsea’s Champions League last-16 triumph over Borussia Dortmund lifted a weight off his shoulders.
The Blues won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit and advance into the quarter-finals.
Having beaten Leeds last weekend, the victory over Dortmund secured Chelsea’s first back-to-back wins since October and relieved the pressure on Potter after a poor run of results.
“Has the weight been lifted off my shoulders? Yes, in some ways,” he said. “I’m not getting carried away, it’s just two wins so we have to focus on Leicester. The boys have been in a good place, good spirit, they’ve stuck together in a bad time which is good, there’s a lot to say about that.”
Chelsea’s supporters voiced their relief at Stamford Bridge at full-time on Tuesday – a support Potter has not experienced in recent months with his side winning just twice in 10 Premier League games.
“It’s our job to produce games and produce results. I think that the performance was a positive one and I think that they appreciated that,” he said.
“I think generally when that’s the case (winning) they get behind the team and support the team so I have nothing to say about how we’ve been treated with the supporters – they’ve been great, fantastic.
“I think the supporters have been really fair and they want the team to do well and results wise we haven’t done that well so you understand the criticism and understand that it’s hard for them to get behind something that isn’t great for them to get behind.”
Chelsea face Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Saturday as they look to fully turn the corner in form.
Victory would see Potter’s side pick up their first three points away from home in the Premier League since their 2-0 win over Aston Villa five months ago.
Despite Leicester coming into the game off the back of three straight defeats Potter understands his team’s performance needs to warrant three points.
“It’s always an opportunity to win but we have to play well, I think Leicester’s results have been worse than their performances. They’ve been a bit unfortunate as well I think,” he said.
I think the supporters have been really fair and they want the team to do well and results wise we haven't done that well so you understand the criticism— Graham Potter
“They’ve rallied as well, they have still got some really, really good players, I have huge respect for Brendan (Rodgers) for what he’s done there, he’s a top coach and a top person so looking forward to seeing him and it will be a tough game.”
Despite their woes in front of goal, Chelsea’s defence has remained solid with 25 goals conceded the joint second best defensive record in the Premier League this term.
Potter said: “I think at the moment it’s suiting us quite well (back-three formation) and it’s working.
“Defensively as much as everyone’s focussed on the other end and rightly so because we haven’t scored as many goals as we’d like – defensively we’re up there as one of the best teams in the Premier League.”
