Chelsea’s humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City has cranked up the pressure on Graham Potter.

He watched in dismay yesterday as his side were thumped 4-0 at the Etihad, with City knocking the Blues out of a domestic competition for the second time in less than three months following November's Carabao Cup loss.

Shaky Premier League form has also left Potter's side 10 points adrift of a top-four spot, resulting in his position coming under intense scrutiny.

Ahead of Thursday's London derby at Fulham, we take a closer look at the situation at Stamford Bridge and examine how Potter, 47, can turn things around.

Heat is on

It does not take long for things to turn sour at a club of Chelsea’s stature — and Potter’s future is already looking precarious.

The Solihull-born coach, viewed by Blues co-owner Todd Boehly as the perfect man to lead a bright new era for the club, only arrived from Brighton four months ago.

While the vision is a long-term one, Blues supporters still expect some form of success each season and that part of the equation has not been going to plan.

The hammering in Manchester was a sixth defeat in nine across all competitions, with some sections of the away support audibly singing the name of former boss Thomas Tuchel.

Asked about those chants supporting his predecessor, Potter said: "We can't do anything but do our jobs better and work harder. 

"We understand the supporters' frustration but our job is to do our job. There are always other opinions, criticism and negativity, but that's part of the challenge."

Hands tied

Potter’s troubles have not been aided by a horrendous injury crisis.

Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was confirmed as needing surgery on his finger over the weekend, meaning eight first-team stars were unavailable for selection against City.

The Senegalese stopper was joined on the sidelines by Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Reece James, N'Golo Kante, Armando Broja and Ben Chilwell.

That raft of absentees has seen the boss give opportunities to young players, with the likes of Lewis Hall, Bashir Humphreys, Omari Hutchinson and Carney Chukwuemeka all featuring recently.

While signing reinforcements this month could help results in the short-term, it would leave the Blues with a hugely swelled squad once everyone is fit. 

As it stands, Potter is opting to ride out the storm by giving his emerging talent a chance — an admirable, if risky, plan. 

Underperforming

It is undeniable, though, that those who are still available are not performing to the best of their abilities.

The starting XI for the draw against Nottingham Forest on New Year's Day was made up entirely of full internationals, with the likes of Mason Mount and Kai Havertz having played key roles in the club's Champions League success in 2020-21.

For Mount and Havertz — along with summer signings Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella — it is hard to excuse their dip in form. 

England star Mount, 23, racked up 21 direct goal involvements in 32 league appearances last season. 

This term, he has managed just five in 16 outings — meaning he is not even on course to reach half his previous tally. 

Meanwhile, £71million man Havertz has been entrusted with Chelsea’s central striker berth for most of the campaign but has found the net only five times in all competitions.

Losing faith

Though much of the responsibility must lie at the door of the players, Potter also shoulders his fair share. 

But club legend Frank Leboeuf is in no doubt as to who to point the finger at for his former side's recent woes.

Speaking on ESPN, the Frenchman moaned: "Mr Potter, enough is enough now, something needs to be changed.

"That's not the club I know. You are so far away from being a champion of Europe.

"I've never seen Chelsea so low. The players don't have the will, they don't have the guts, they don't have the courage to fight for their colours. They don't have pride."

Curiously, Chelsea are still having the third-most touches of the ball per match in the Premier League, with only City and Liverpool managing more.

Yet that has not stopped them from ranking in the bottom half of the division for shots taken (16th), big chances created (13th) and goals scored (12th).

Crucial period

The Blues face a London derby double-header this week, with Thursday's tricky trip to Fulham followed by the visit of Crystal Palace three days later.

Morale-boosting wins are required and it may be a case of Potter needing to ditch his preferred philosophy to muster a positive result by any means necessary.

When Boehly lured the former Seagulls boss to West London, he described his new head coach as an "innovator in the Premier League who fits our vision for the club".

The American clearly has huge faith in his chosen candidate’s long-term credentials — but many more poor results could force him into a radical change of thinking.