Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has praised his Chelsea side after they battled though a resilient Sheffield United to win 2-0.
The Blues make it consecutive home victories for the first time in over a year, and showed the perfect response to their 2-0 defeat away at Everton last weekend.
The win moves Pochettino’s side into tenth place in the Premier League table on 22 points, now only six points off Manchester United in seventh.
When asked whether he felt any relief after the win, the Argentine believed there was no such relief in getting the result that his players deserved after a difficult couple of weeks:
“Relief, no. I am happy because the players deserve the victory and they work really well during the week.
“They reacted. I feel like I told you yesterday in my press conference, we already tried many things and of course it’s about to build our confidence.
“At the same time we need realise the things we need to change if we want to improve. I’m happy because the three points are really important for us and then because on Tuesday we have a really important game against Newcastle, and arriving with this victory is completely different.
“We were talking a lot after Everton and think that we needed a drastic change. I think it was important to now confirm that we were in a good way.”
With the game goalless at the break, Pochettino made the decision to switch Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling on the wings. This choice opened the game up for the Blues, with the pair instrumental in the west London side’s quick fire goals after the interval.
Pochettino felt a risk has to be taken to break through a stubborn Sheffield United side, the decision paid dividends with Palmer scoring the opener. After a frustrating first half, the 51-year-old was delighted with how his team reacted to the changes:
“In the first half we didn’t give the possibility for him or for the team to find better positions on the pitch. That is why we changed.
“It was impossible to create chances and circulate the ball because always we gave them time to shuffle and shuffle and shuffle.
“When we wanted to take a risk, lose the ball. I think it was good that we were frustrated but second half we reacted very well.”
Chelsea face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday looking to reach the semi-finals of the competition. Sheffield United remain rooted to the foot of the Premier League table.
