Chelsea fans deliver 'better than Pep' next manager social media verdict amid Graham Potter talks confirmation

Chelsea’s new owners sacked manager Tuchel on Wednesday morning, just hours after the Blues’ chastening 1-0 Champions League defeat at Dinamo Zagreb.

Owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali were understood to have already made the decision to unseat Tuchel ahead of that loss in Croatia however.

Chelsea’s new chiefs have been at the Stamford Bridge helm for 100 days since their £4.25billion purchase from Roman Abramovich.

The ambitious US owners are understood to have felt they could not wait any longer to take action, fearing the Blues losing further ground on Premier League powers Manchester City and Liverpool.

Chelsea’s new board is thought to have analysed Tuchel’s 100 games as Blues boss, identifying a worrying trend of 24 goals conceded in the first 50 matches and 53 in the second 50.

The Chelsea owners are understood not to have lined up a replacement, in order to complete the process by the book.

Boehly and Eghbali will now approach and interview a small number of candidates, with Brighton’s Potter chief among a tight group of names.

Former Tottenham and Paris St Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino and ex-Real Madrid chief Zinedine Zidane are also thought to be in consideration.

Here’s how social media reacted to the Potter to Chelsea link:

@FabrizioRomano Chelsea have approached Graham Potter as one of the candidates to replace Thomas Tuchel. He’s not the only one in the list — including four candidates. #CFC Todd Boehly will continue talks in the next hours to find the replacement.

@sandyzz007 Poch will be the manager I guess.

@tangangaweireld Don't even think about it Graham…

@HugoHouse7 The fantastic four: Potter, Pochettino, Lopetegui, Allegri

@Cfc_tekkers Potter is better than Pep

@dracotrae Auba’s reunion with tuchel didn’t even last a week

@xanonymous_02: He should stay at Brighton Chelsea will just sack him in a year anyways like they always do