Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel burst out laughing as he considered how long Graham Potter would have lasted as Chelsea manager under former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Mikel, who played for Chelsea for 11 years during the Abramovich era, told Dubai Eye radio station: “When you look at that, was he given enough time? I think so.

“I think where you look at where the club is now, what is it, 11th in the table?

“So when you look at it, I think he’s been given enough time. If it was the Roman Abramovich era…”

At this point Mikel, 35, couldn’t help but laugh, before adding: “So was he given enough time? I think the club made the right decision.”

Mikel continued: “Was the club too big for him to manage? Maybe. Because when I look at him sometimes on the touchline he doesn’t really know what to do.

“He’s not communicating to the players, he doesn’t tell them what to do on the pitch.

“When they scream at you, they are telling you what to do. Sometimes players need a kick up the backside, to wake up. With Graham, I wasn’t seeing that.”