Chelsea manager Graham Potter says he and his family have received death threats in the wake of the team’s poor form.

Potter said on Friday he had been targeted by someone via an anonymous email account.

Potter, who has said previously that he believes he has the hardest job in football, spoke of the toll that the recent months have taken on him personally, and bullishly rejected accusations that a calm demeanor in the face of adversity means he does not care about the club.

“People have a perception I don’t care — what’s that based on? How do you know?” he told a news conference ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League match at Tottenham on Sunday.

“You could ask my family how life has been for me and for them.

“It’s been not pleasant at all. I understand supporters go home and they’re annoyed because the team isn’t winning. But I assure you, my life for the last three or four months has been fairly average.

“I’ve had some not particularly nice emails come through, that want me to die and want my kids to die. That’s obviously not pleasant to receive. If you’ve been asked for four months if you’re under pressure because (the media) need to sell stuff, what do you expect, in the end?”

Today’s matches

⚫ Tottenham vs Chelsea (7pm IST, live on Star Sports Network)