Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly insisted that Graham Potter has never lost the support of his players, unlike suggested by some reports recently.
The two recent wins; against Leeds United and Borussia Dortmund, have understandably taken the pressure off Potter.
His potential sacking is no longer the main topic of Chelsea-related news, although his future at the club arguably remains unsafe.
But until a week ago, various reports suggested that Potter had lost the trust of some of his players.
Among them, The Telegraph claimed that after the defeat to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, some Chelsea players doubted whether the former Brighton boss could the situation around.
The report also mentioned that Potter’s decision to leave some players out of the team also did not sit well with the squad.
The latter is likely inevitable, considering the size of his Chelsea squad. Out of the 32 members of the first-team squad, at least seven will have to miss out on each matchday squad.
Koulibaly, however, argued that losing the dressing room was never an issue for Potter.
“It’s important to show we’re with the manager,” the Senegal international told Chelesa’s official website.
“We have been from the beginning.
“A lot of people are talking about us, but we know what we have to do on the pitch and outside the pitch.
“The most important thing is to be behind the manager and the club also, because this club deserves a lot.
“It’s a club that is used to winning, and we have to keep showing good things now.”
Obviously, it is unlikely that a player will openly criticise his manager in an interview, although Tottenham’s Richarlison recently proved that it is not entirely out of the question.
That said, Reece James, Thiago Silva, Kai Havertz, and now Koulibaly have expressed their support for Potter — and this at least suggests the manager retains the support of several key players.
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