- Chelsea suffered their sixth league defeat of the campaign against Man United
- The Blues have five fewer points than they did at this stage of last season
- Mauricio Pochettino has so much work to do with woeful Chelsea – It’s All Kicking Off
Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea have to accept the criticism after they were booed by their own fans at Manchester United.
Some in the away section turned on Pochettino’s players as they went towards them following a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea that could have been far bigger.
Pochettino said: ‘We cannot say nothing to the fans. The fans, they react how they feel. We cannot blame them or say nothing. Again, we have to accept it. If we are not playing well it is normal that we will be criticised from them and we need to accept that.’
Pochettino, though, did appeal for calm and balance when assessing 10th-placed Chelsea and their season.
Defeats at Newcastle and Manchester United have come either side of a battling victory with 10 men against Brighton.
Pochettino says Chelsea have to accept the criticism after they were booed by their own fans
Scott McTominay’s double earned Man United a 2-1 victory against Chelsea, though the scoreline could have been a lot worse for the Blues
Chelsea turned in another limp performance in the away clash before they travelled to Old Trafford, losing 4-1 to an injury-hit Newcastle side
He said: ‘After Brighton I think it was all completely different the feelings and now after Manchester.
‘We cannot move in extremes. We cannot go from zero to 100 and 100 to zero. It is normal this type of situation. This type of period of course is tough because we are in Chelsea but I think we need to see the reality that sometime we struggle and then we don’t have the possibility to use all the elements of the squad.
‘Not only us, any club in the Premier League can struggle. I think there are too many positive things from the beginning of the season. It is about to try to keep going, being calm.
‘Not too much when we won and not too down when you lose. The balance is the most important in this period.’
He did insist, though, that he will make Chelsea challengers again, adding: ‘No, no, no [it is not a harder job than I thought].
‘Better should be [to be] in a different position for sure but we knew when we accept this offer that it’s going to be tough. [But] We are going to challenge yes, maybe not now but for sure in the future.
‘Who knows [when]? Who knows? I hope as soon as possible but for sure we are going to challenge the top four.’
