LONDON: Graham Potter will be grateful for the World Cup break. His life has been a whirlwind ever since September 9 when he left Brighton for Chelsea and suddenly had to shoulder trophy expectations in both Champions League and Premier League as well as a squad of high-class players with all their demanding egoes.

He started well. Probably too well. He was unbeaten in his first nine games in all competitions, winning six and drawing three in all competitions. Then it all turned sour back at Brighton, of all places. A 4-1 defeat to his old club kicked off a run of four defeats in five games in Premier League, Champions League and League Cup.

Suddenly Potter, instead of being hailed as a potential future manager of England is being viewed as a manager who promised too much too soon. Such criticism also rebounds not only on Chelsea’s players but on owner Todd Boehly. The American is still learning the facts of football life six months after buying out Roman Abramovich.

The irony was evident in Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle. No longer do Chelsea have the ammunition of the Russian oligarch’s bottomless bank account. Instead Saudi-owned Newcastle are the new rich kids of the Premier League. Hence the importance of Potter having time to reflect on squad strength, tactics and team selection.

Chelsea owners are not patient men. Abramovich went through 14 coaches in 19 years and Boehly sacked Champions League winner Tuchel after four months.

Newcastle beat Chelsea with a 66th-minute goal from Arsenal cast-off Joe Willock which had been created by a neat move involving Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes and Miguel Almiron, the EPL’s player of the month for October. The margin of victory might have been wider.

Chelsea mounted steady pressure in the closing stages after the introduction of substitute Christian Pulisic. Frustration was evident in the seven minutes of stoppage time when Kai Havertz had to be pulled out of trouble after a clash with Dan Burn.

Potter could blame bad luck and injuries. Chelsea started without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling, gave a debut to Lewis Hall, 18, at left wing-back then lost Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Cesar Azpilicueta to first-half injuries.

He said: “It’s not nice to not get results but I have to look at why that is and the situation we’ve had to deal with. We came off a difficult, busy schedule while Newcastle have been playing only one game a week. We lacked a bit of quality and made some unforced errors.”

Chelsea’s third consecutive league defeat pushed them down to eighth in the table, eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham. Newcastle, by contrast, are third after a 10-game unbeaten run. Their fans, including those who staged a sportswashing protest before the game, may even be dreaming of a title challenge in the new year.

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