"When you lose to the bottom side and you are Chelsea it's completely OK [to be criticised]," he added. "Results haven't been good enough. [The fans] are entitled to be angry."

Potter, who also confirmed Cesar Azpiliicueta would not be available for the crunch clash with Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, aimed a thinly-veiled jab in the direction of his predecessor Tuchel.

The German coach was sacked in September, a decision proved to be unpopular with the fanbase, amid reports of player unrest and a disagreement with the board over their shared vision for the club's future.