Pochettino admits Chelsea were second best in ‘worst game of the season’
Mauricio Pochettino characterized Chelsea’s loss to Newcastle United as their ‘poorest performance of the season,’ delivering yet another harsh reality check to the Blues.
After receiving yellow cards in matches against Brighton, Burnley, and Manchester City, Pochettino was relegated to the stands, witnessing his team being thoroughly outplayed by a resurgent Newcastle.
Although talisman Alexander Isak opened the scoring in the 13th minute, Chelsea managed to level the game ten minutes later with an impressive free kick from the in-form Raheem Sterling, marking the only goal for his side that afternoon.
In the second half, Jamaal Lascelles and Joelinton extended the lead beyond the visitors, and Mauricio Pochettino’s team faced further setbacks as Reece James received a second yellow card for a foul on Anthony Gordon. Gordon then concluded a perfect night for his team with a late goal.
Pochettino’s take
Pochettino had no refuge after the match, acknowledging to Premier League Productions that his side was outperformed and conceded they were the inferior team.
“It was our worst game of the season. It was tough to be in the stands.”
“We cannot complain about the result, we did not read the game from the beginning. “
He added: “We did not play how we should play, we showed a lack of intensity and energy. Even after we scored, at 1-1, it was a chance for us to force them to play deep, but it was so easy for Newcastle. That is why I am so upset with the performance.”
The loss to the Magpies has put Chelsea at risk of descending to the bottom half of the table, or even lower, depending on other weekend results.
Their upcoming match presents another challenging fixture, this time against Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday, December 3.