Graham Potter’s Chelsea host Arsenal on Sunday with his honeymoon period well and truly over after last week’s humiliating 4-1 defeat at his old club Brighton & Hove Albion left them down in sixth place.
Like Liverpool, Chelsea managed a morale-boosting victory in the Champions League in midweek to top their group but how they needed it after a slump in their domestic form.
Successive draws with Brentford and Manchester United were followed by the debacle at Brighton to end Potter’s unbeaten start and if he did not realise it already, he now knows the level of scrutiny he will be under in the Chelsea hot seat.
Sunday would be a good time for former Arsenal forward Pierre Emerick Aubameyang to justify his move to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona while Raheem Sterling, despite scoring in midweek against Dinamo Zagreb, has still to win over the majority of Chelsea fans after his move from Manchester City.
Defeat would leave Chelsea 13 points behind an Arsenal side who are looking more and more capable of at least making Man City battle for a fifth title in six seasons.
Conte on Klopp
Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte said he had nothing but respect for what Juergen Klopp has achieved with Liverpool, saying the patience the Anfield side showed with the German is proof managers need time to create title-winning teams.
Liverpool signed Klopp in 2015 when they were struggling to qualify for the Champions League and he turned things around, leading them to the three finals, winning the trophy in 2019. Klopp also delivered a long-awaited Premier League title to Liverpool and achieved the domestic cup double last season.
“I have great respect for Juergen because his story speaks for him. He has changed the face of Liverpool,” Conte told reporters ahead of Sunday’s game between the two sides.
“I remember very well Liverpool didn’t win for a long period. He needed four years to help Liverpool win again and for sure it shows it is important for the coach to have time. Liverpool can be a good example for us.”
Conte has finished a year at Spurs since taking over last November and the Italian said he was happy with the progress the club made.
