Chelsea have managed just three wins from their last nine matches (Picture: Getty)
Glen Johnson predicts Newcastle will get the better of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and believes Gary Neville was ‘correct’ in branding Mauricio Pochettino’s players ‘billion pound bottle jobs’.
After an inauspicious start the season, Chelsea appeared to have turned a corner from Christmas through to the end of January, but results have dipped again in recent weeks, with the Blues winning just three of their last nine games in all competitions.
A painful Carabao Cup final defeat at the hands of a vastly inexperienced Liverpool team saw Pochettino face widespread criticism and the side’s 2-2 draw away to Brentford last weekend only intensified the pressure on the Argentine.
The west London giants will be desperate to bounce back from their disappointment at the Gtech Community Stadium with victory on Monday night at home to Eddie Howe’s ninth-placed Newcastle, who put Wolves to the sword last time out.
But ex-Chelsea and England full-back Johnson feels the upcoming Premier League clash is a ‘bloody dangerous match’ for his former club and expects the visitors to come away with all three points.
‘Newcastle are in good goal-scoring form so it’s a bloody dangerous match for Chelsea who are not exactly free flowing and scoring goals,’ Johnson told DAZN Bet.
‘If Newcastle get off to a good start, they could very easily win the game. I think on current form, it will be 2-1 to Newcastle.’
Johnson expects Newcastle to beat Chelsea on Monday evening (Picture: Getty)
While there have been some question marks surrounding Pochettino’s future, with Chelsea keeping tabs on potential managerial replacements, Johnson hopes the club stick with the ex-Spurs boss who he believes is a ‘top manager’.
‘I definitely think he’s getting frustrated but he’s a fantastic manager at a fantastic football club with fantastic players so they just need a bit more time,’ he added.
‘The club has gone through so much change and turmoil so sometimes you need a bit of time for the dust to settle.
‘I think he’s a top manager and I think he’s got a good team.’
Pochettino’s side are languishing down in 11th place in the Premier League (Picture: Getty)
During Chelsea’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Liverpool, Sky Sports co-commentator Neville labelled Pochettino’s players ‘billion pound bottle jobs’ – and the former Manchester United defender was ‘right’ according to Johnson.
‘It would get under your skin as a player. Yes it’s just a funny comment but the thing is, he’s right. Maybe not in those exact words but what he is trying to say is correct,’ Johnson went on.
‘If Chelsea can’t win that final, you can’t win any final, I think Liverpool had two senior players left for the last 20 minutes of the game.
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‘If you’ve got two midfielders in the middle of the park that have cost over £100million and you can’t dominate the match after that, then of course, there’s a worry.
‘Having said that, these kids are good as well, though, to be fair, so it’s not like you know, it’s not like they’re playing against under eighteens. These kids are bloody good.
‘But Chelsea should have definitely got a better result, they’ve only got themselves to blame.’
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