The pressure continues to build on new Chelsea manager Graham Potter after his side suffered their third successive Premier League defeat at the hands of Newcastle. Chelsea have not lost three league games in a row since 2015, but were able to set a new date for that record with another lacklustre display.
Joe Willock struck the only goal of the game mid-way through the second half with a sumptuous curling effort that gave Edouard Mendy no chance, while Chelsea's best effort came from Conor Gallagher, who forced Nick Pope into a diving save just minutes before the goal.
It was another performance where Graham Potter's side failed to make any real impact on their opponents, and the current injury problems got worse after just a few minutes when Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was at right wingback, felt his calf and had to be replaced by Thiago Silva.
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Loftus-Cheek's withdrawal seemingly severely altered the Blues tactical plan as three different players went on to play in the position he left, with Cesar Azpilicueta moving out there once Silva was on, Conor Gallagher was pushed into the slot, with Trevoh Chalobah ending the contest there after Potter moved to a back four.
The Blues do not play another competitive game until Boxing Day when they welcome Bournemouth to Stamford Bridge and Potter will certainly be hoping the time on the training pitch with the players not heading to the World Cup can get Chelsea back firing on all fronts.
With that being said, football.london has collated the national media's reaction to another defeat for Chelsea:
The Mirror
"After a bright start, Potter is now seriously under pressure at Chelsea and defeat by Newcastle ensured he equalled a record he'd have hoped to steer clear of.
"The former Brighton boss has now won just two of his last eight games at the helm, but Saturday's showing marked the third successive Premier League defeat for the Blues.
"This current run is the first time Chelsea have lost three league games in a row since November 2015, which came during Jose Mourinho's final season as Blues manager.
"To add insult to injury, the 1-0 loss at Newcastle means Chelsea are still yet to topple any of the sides currently sat inside the Premier League table's top seven."
The Guardian
"Chelsea’s growing fear of missing out on Europe was reflected by their body language at the final whistle when Kai Havertz briefly found himself at the centre of a finger-pointing melee. Although it began with Havertz squaring up to Newcastle’s Dan Burn, the conclusion seemed to be more about his Chelsea teammates losing their cool and arguing with each other. Tellingly such recriminations continued as they headed down the tunnel and Howe’s players began a mini lap of honour.
“It doesn’t get any easier, we’re in a bad place; we need to go away and regroup,” said Potter, whose side suffered a third straight defeat for the first time since José Mourinho’s troubled tenure in 2015 and now sit eighth, eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham.
“It’s not nice to get bad results. But sometimes you have to accept your struggles. There’s been a lot of learning in the last eight weeks. The first half was relatively even but Newcastle are a very good side. Defensively they’re one of the best teams in the Premier League; they don’t make it easy for you. But we made too many unforced errors.”
Daily Mail
"To some, this may have looked like an audition of the England hopefuls. Not the players. The managers. How ironic, then, that a victory should move Eddie Howe further still from the possibility of the Three Lions post. But in defeat - a third on the spin for turgid Chelsea - Graham Potter’s odds will likely be shortened.
"For should Gareth Southgate ride into the sun after the World Cup - or, more likely, find himself burnt beneath it - there is close to zero chance of Newcastle head coach Howe taking residence at St George’s Park. He has been the favourite with most bookmakers for a while now, and that is because he is the outstanding candidate.
"Howe, though, is fully invested in the Newcastle project, which is just about the most exciting in world football. The chances of him entertaining an England approach are as likely as the FA re-offering the job to Sam Allardyce.
"Potter, meanwhile, is only two months into his new venture at Stamford Bridge. He would not want to be jumping ship for England, but he could be pushed. After all, he is the first Blues boss to lose three consecutive league games in seven years."
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