The left-back has been the subject of several questions posed in recent press conferences and the same was true in the build-up to today’s match against Southampton, with Potter asked if any targeting of Cucurella is unwarranted.

‘The results that we're having, where we are in the table, unfortunately somebody would be getting the brunt of the criticism,’ Potter observed in response.

‘That's the pattern and whether it's fair or not, it doesn't matter. Supporters are entitled to voice their opinion because without them, there's no football club. As professionals we have to accept that and then work as hard as we can to change opinion.

‘That's the challenge for us. I'm not going to argue against it. Marc’s a big boy, he's an adult, he knows the situation. We have to help him to change the perspective.’

Potter, who also confirmed Cucurella had the misfortune to suffer a break-in at his house after joining Chelsea, looked back at both the recruitment of the defender by Brighton in 2021 and the market for him last close season when he was reported to be a Manchester City target as well as a Chelsea one.

‘I was with him at Brighton last year so I know his qualities and he was the final piece in the puzzle to help the team function really well. At Chelsea with the amount of transition, there is a completely different situation. Marc won't be the first player that for the first six months when you're at a new club it just doesn't feel quite like it should, and that can affect your performance.

‘He brings different qualities in the build-up. His reactions when the ball gets lost are really good. In the summer Chelsea weren’t the only team that wanted to buy him and the other team that wanted to buy him are quite good!

‘He was the Player of the Year at Brighton. He's a good player, but at the same time I understand things happen and the perspective is slightly different.’

Potter highlighted that it is not easy to play with this type of pressure and that there is no magic formula to solve that.

‘All he can do is keep playing well in training, keep working hard and wait for the right opportunity,’ the head coach added.

‘The challenge is the team has to win games and perform better because that takes the pressure off. We are not in a situation because of one person. We are a club and we need to stick together and move forward.

‘If you do any research about Marc when he was in Spain, his character was fantastic. I don’t think the other team interested would have been if he didn't have the character he has. Football is a career where sometimes you have good moments and sometimes not so good moments. You have to accept it when they are not and deal with them like a grown person and try your best, which is what he is doing.’