Potter explains Felix substitution and backs Fernandez

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Chelsea boss Graham Potter said his decision to substitute Joao Felix at half-time against Leicester was purely tactical.

Felix hit the post and had a goal disallowed in Chelsea’s 3-1 win at the King Power Stadium, but was hooked at the interval for Conor Gallagher after gifting an equaliser to Leicester’s Paston Daka, having lost possession deep in his own half.

“Tactically I wanted to use an extra midfielder in there and we changed it a little bit,” Potter said.


“We needed someone who could ball-win with a different profile in there and I thought Conor was fantastic when he came on.”

Potter also praised Enzo Fernandez after the Argentine set up the second goal with a glorious chipped pass for Kai Havertz that sprung the well-drilled Leicester offside trap.

“He is a fantastic player and he is a young player and he is going to have to keep getting better,” Potter said.

“He has just arrived from another country and it is going to take time to adapt.

“But you can see his quality. He gets the ball, can pass it forward and is progressive in his mentality.”