EPL

Potter calls for focus in packed Chelsea schedule but receives boost on injury front

By Sports Desk October 07, 2022

Chelsea head coach Graham Potter says there is a "long way to go" in the hunt for a top-four finish in the Premier League.

The Blues sit fifth, with Manchester United and Fulham the only sides in the top 10 to have suffered more defeats than Chelsea's two.

Chelsea are eight points behind early pacesetters Arsenal, while the battle for Champions League qualification is set to be as fierce as ever.

Tottenham are four points ahead of Chelsea, while Liverpool have made a below-par start to the season by their lofty standards. Manchester United are only a point behind Potter's team, while Manchester City seem more likely to be pushing for the title than tussling for a place in the top four, albeit they are second behind the Gunners.

Potter, though, knows it is far too early to draw any conclusions.

"I think we've made a little bit of progress from the first day to now, as you'd expect. There is a long way to go," he said in Friday's press conference ahead of Chelsea's clash with manageress Wolves.

"We have to focus on the next match. We've got this incredible amount of games so rather than think too much about what's going to happen at the end of the season, just focus on the next game."

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    The 36-year-old Sahin will lead Dortmund in Europe's elite club competition for the first time when the Bundesliga side visit Bruges.

    Dortmund announced Sahin, their former assistant coach, in June as their new manager to replace Edin Terzic, who led the German club to the Champions League final last term.

    Terzic's men subsequently lost to LaLiga giants Real Madrid 2-0 in the Wembley showpiece, though Sahin is desperate for another deep run in Europe.

    "After two or three matchdays, you will see how it's going," Sahin told reporters on Tuesday. "As a finalist last year, we're self-confident.

    "Dortmund are a name in Europe. We want to live up to that and go through. We want to play a good role in all competitions."

    Dortmund may be concerned given only one of the last five losing Champions League finalists have then started their next campaign with a win (D2 L2), a 6-3 win for Manchester City against RB Leipzig in 2021-22.

    They are in different hands under Sahin, a German-born former Turkey international, who played 274 matches for Dortmund.

    He won the Bundesliga in the 2010-11 season and was a Champions League runner-up with them in the 2012-13 campaign when they were managed by Jurgen Klopp.

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    "I'm delighted to be a coach in the Champions League. This is special. I'm really looking forward to my first game on this stage," Sahin said.

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    "Since we've known that we're playing against them, we've watched very many matches. The team has a clear philosophy of play and principles, a good team," Sahin added.

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    The Bianconeri were playing their first match in Europe's elite club competition since 2022-23, when they suffered a humiliating group-stage exit before failing to qualify for the next edition.

    Thiago Motta has enjoyed a decent start to life in Turin, though, and that continued on Tuesday as Juve eased past their Eredivisie opponents.

    Yildiz gave Juve the lead after 21 minutes with a stunning curling shot from just inside the box, leaving goalkeeper Joel Drommel helpless as the ball crashed off the inside of the post and in.

    McKennie doubled their advantage six minutes later, netting inside the right-hand post from close range and winger Nicolas Gonzalez made it 3-0 with a back-post finish after the break.

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    The Riyadh club were also defeated in the Saudi Super Cup final 4-1 against champions Al Hilal last month.

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