Why hasn't Graham Potter been sacked at Chelsea? New report details 5 key reasons behind club's decision

Chelsea manager Graham Potter's job is becoming increasingly under pressure following the Blues' 1-0 Premier League defeat to Southampton on Saturday (February 18). The Englishman has struggled in charge at Stamford Bridge as speculation grows over his future.

The loss at home to the bottom-placed Saints was his side's fifth in ten games across competitions. The Blues are tenth in the league, trailing fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur by a massive 11 points after 23 games.

Nevertheless, Potter is clinging on to his job. The Telegraph's Matt Law has explained the reasons for that with a report that details five reasons the Chelsea manager is still at the helm.

The first of which is behind the scenes, as Potter still has the backing of Blues' cooperating owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali. The duo are privy to what Potter has been facing behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge. He opted to rest the likes of Reece James and Thiago Silva in the loss to Southampton.

The owners understood that, as Potter was told that the defensive pair, Kai Havertz and Mykhaylo Mudryk risked injury. The English coach took advice from the medical staff. The owners and the manager have been in collaboration over decisions and believe results will go their way soon.

The second reason Potter still has the backing of the Chelsea board is his temperament. The new owners like the fact that the Blues manager is not hot-headed despite criticism over that from fans and pundits. However, Potter has been described as being intense at the club's Cobham training ground, and there are no concerns over his mentality.

The Chelsea higher-ups also understand that not only did they take a risk on the former Brighton & Hove Albion, but their decision to succeed Thomas Tuchel was brave. Top coaches often oppose taking over a club mid-season, as was the case for Marcelo Bielsa in snubbing Leeds United. Potter left a stable environment at Brighton, and there's a belief that he deserves a start to a season in the Stamford Bridge hot seat.

The squad's rebuild is another reason Potter is still receiving backing. The club that was left under Roman Abramovich's regime needed changing. Boehly and Eghbali calculated that a rebuild of the squad and staff would require a year (three transfer windows).

With that, there's an understanding that it will come with ups and downs. There's also an acceptance that some of their transfer business, particularly last summer, has exacerbated matters.

Chelsea are also looking at Manchester City's template for how they want to achieve success in the coming years. The reigning champions are the benchmark for the Blues.

They have studied how Pep Guardiola works with Txiki Begiristain in recruiting the right players to fit his vision. Guardiola also struggled at the start of his managerial career at the Etihad. Potter has a recruitment team now in place that should ideally help give him what he requires.

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Chelsea did not intend to sign Joao Felix permanently this summer

Joao Felix has impressed for the Blues.

Journalist Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT that the plan wasn't for Joao Felix to join the club permanently in the summer. He said:

“It’s great that they’ve got him; can they afford to spend £120 million to sign him permanently, and where does that leave their recruitment strategy because this wasn’t really part of the plan?"

Jones added:

“He’s going to be a hard player to let go because he’s played two league games, and in both performances, he’s been pretty much the best player on the pitch.”

Felix has been a shining light in a season to forget for Chelsea. The Portuguese attacker arrived from Atletico Madrid on loan last month till the end of the season. He has scored one goal in four games across competitions.

He genuinely has a claim to being one of the Blues' best players of the season in a telling sentiment over how the club have performed.