November 25, (THEWILL) – Chelsea manager, Mauricio Pochettino, was left seething after watching his side capitulate in embarrassing fashion during their 4-1 away loss to Newcastle United on Saturday.
Despite levelling the scores through a Raheem Sterling free kick after Alexander Isak had opened the scoring, the visitors collapsed after halftime as goals from Jamaal Lascelles, Joelinton and Anthony Gordon put the game beyond reach. To make matters worse, right-back Reece James was sent off to compound Chelsea’s misery.
Speaking after the match, Pochettino pulled no punches with his criticism of the players. “We weren’t prepared properly and we didn’t show the right mentality,” raged the Argentinian. “It was too easy for Newcastle. I’m very angry and disappointed with how soft we were.”
The Chelsea manager was serving a touchline ban and had to watch helplessly from the stands as his team unravelled. The heavy loss raises serious questions about Chelsea’s prospects heading into a crunch week.
While Pochettino bemoaned his side’s lack of fight, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe heaped praise on his depleted squad’s character and resilience. Despite having 13 players sidelined through injury, the Magpies put in an inspirational team performance led by the returning Alexander Isak.
The emphatic win lifts Newcastle up to sixth in the table and sets them up perfectly for their upcoming UEFA Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
