Graham Potter sacking is 'sad day' for Chelsea

Interim manager Bruno Saltor will be in charge of team for Premier League match against Liverpool on Tuesday

Graham Potter during his final game in charge of Chelsea that saw his team lose 2-0 at home to Aston Villa. AFP

Chelsea interim manager Bruno Saltor has described Graham Potter's exit is a “sad day” for the club.

Potter was sacked on Sunday night after the Blues dropped into the bottom half of the table following their 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge 24 hours earlier.

The former Brighton manager only took over at the London club in September and was in charge for 31 games that included home and away Champions League group-stage wins over AC Milan, and then knocking Borussia Dortmund out in the last 16.

But despite securing a European Cup quarter-final clash with holders Real Madrid, it was Chelsea's woeful domestic form that saw him lose his job.

Reports suggest that the decision to remove Potter was taken by Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart with the unanimous backing of Todd Boehly and co-owner Behdad Eghbali.

Assistant coach Billy Reid has joined Potter in heading through the exit, but ex-Brighton full-back Bruno has remained in post alongside Bjorn Hamberg, goalkeeper coach Ben Roberts and recruitment specialist Kyle Macaulay.

“I just spoke to Graham five minutes ago,” Bruno revealed at the start of his press conference ahead of Chelsea's Premier League game at home to Liverpool on Tuesday.

“Obviously it's been a difficult 24 hours for all of us, for the staff, for the families and now we just have to deal with the situation.

“It is a sad day. A sad day for staff because of Graham and Billy leaving, two top coaches, top people, top human beings.

“How I see it is I have to be the most professional I can, try to help the players, guide the players to prepare for the game the best we can.

“If I am here right now it's because Graham and the club, they thought it was the right step and I'm here just trying to help the club and trying to be the most professional I can.”

Bruno insisted his full focus was on preparation to face eighth-placed Liverpool and he was unaware of how long he would undertake the caretaker role.

Chelsea recruitment chiefs Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart will conduct the search for a new manager and hope for a better return after a record English league fee of £21.5 million was spent prizing Potter and his backroom staff away from Brighton in September.

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The Spaniard added: “I spoke to the owners, they've been very supportive. What I'm focused on is training today, tomorrow's game then after that, step by step.

“Obviously, it is a massive challenge. I have been just four years coaching but I have been 20 years involved in football.

“I start really early and I have a lot of experience in changing rooms. What I will try to do is help the players, guide the players because I have been in those situation before.

“Then I think I have got that feeling that I can help, especially young players that have never been in this situation before.

“[We're] seeing it as an opportunity for the players. We are representing Chelsea. A club with an amazing history, it is about winning, it is about dominating and what we need to do is prepare for the game.”