How much longer will Potter survive … Premier League talking points

London — Every second headline in the past few weeks on stories about Chelsea has been about the pressure manager Graham Potter is under.      

There was no let-up at the weekend after Tottenham heaped more stress on the Chelsea boss, who has one of the most expensive squads in the Premier League. The big question is how much longer the Blues owners will keep their faith in Potter.

These and other talking points from the Premier League weekend.

Chelsea’s slide turns up pressure on Potter: Chelsea’s miserable run shows no sign of ending after a 2-0 loss away to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, raising further questions about the patience of the club’s American owners with coach Potter.

So far, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have backed Potter — whom they hired in September to replace Thomas Tuchel after he transformed Brighton & Hove Albion — as their man to lead Chelsea over the long term, and they have so far spent more than £500m on players.

But two wins in the last 15 games in all competitions, and only one goal in the last five Premier League games, is the kind of form that would test the faith of any other club owners.

“I try to focus on helping the team supporting the players because I really like these players, they’re good lads, they want to do better,” Potter said. “But at the moment we’re suffering and that’s my responsibility.”

Ings could be West Ham’s fox in the box:  West Ham United’s survival prospects look a lot rosier thanks to a 4-0 home win against Nottingham Forest in which new signing Danny Ings went some way to justifying the £15m the club paid to sign him from Aston Villa in January.

Ings scored twice in the space of three minutes late on to break the deadlock against Forest and suddenly a weight lifted off David Moyes, his team and the stadium. An instinctive goal poacher is just the kind of player a team needs in the thick of a relegation battle. In the 30-year-old Ings, West Ham have just such a player.

“What we said is we need someone who knows the art of it and knows exactly where his runs are, where he should be,” a relieved Moyes said after a crucial victory.

Foden’s quality never in doubt: Phil Foden was one of Manchester City’s chief creative forces in the early stages of the season, but in recent weeks has struggled for game time due to an ankle injury and the form of fellow wingers Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez.

But the 22-year-old gave coach Pep Guardiola a reminder of what he can do with a commanding performance in a 4-1 victory at Bournemouth on Saturday, getting involved in City’s first two goals before getting on the score sheet himself.

“No-one from the manager to the staff, players and even our fans can doubt Phil,” Guardiola told reporters. “Always Phil gives you an average of seven or eight because his work ethic is there. But sometimes you are not brilliant like you normally are, and I’m pretty sure this goal will help him.”

Newcastle need to arrest slump: Eddie Howe’s side have earned plaudits all season, and being fifth in the Premier League heading into March is more than most of the club’s fans could have envisaged.

But after Sunday’s disappointment in losing their first cup final since 1999 to Manchester United in the League Cup they need a quick reset if some of the optimism on Tyneside is not to start ebbing away.

Newcastle are four points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, struggling to score goals and next weekend travel to Manchester City. It would be a shame if all the hard work of earlier in the season begins to unravel.

Leeds begin Gracia era with victory: As new-manager bounce goes, Javi Gracia’s first game in charge of Leeds United was emphatic as they avoided extending their winless run to 11 league games with a 1-0 defeat of bottom club Southampton to move out of the bottom three.

The Spanish manager, who previously led Watford to the FA Cup final and an 11th-placed Premier League finish, looks to have instilled a sense of calm in Leeds United in his first days at the helm. 

The Yorkshire club, who have garnered a reputation for playing a high-energy, high-pressing style, appeared more measured and collected against the Saints.

“We prepared as much as possible, trying to be solid, to be compact, working the game and waiting for our moment. I think we did it,” Gracia told reporters after the win.

“I like offensive play ... But when I came here, when I saw not only the games but the statistics as well, I thought it will be better for the team to find a good balance between defending and attacking, and today we got a clean sheet.”

Reuters