Pochettino rages at critics for always referencing their £1bn transfer outlay

Mauricio Pochettino has blasted Chelsea’s critics for obsessing over their billion-pound outlay, adding that the owners are backing him after meeting with Behdad Eghbali in the aftermath of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat by Liverpool.

It was a passionate press conference from Pochettino before facing Championship outfit Leeds in the fifth round of the FA Cup tonight — the competition which is their last chance of silverware this season and likeliest route into Europe.

The Argentine launched into a seven-minute monologue when asked about Gary Neville’s ‘blue billion-pound bottle jobs’ jibe and branded the negativity ‘annoying’, adding that Liverpool and Manchester City do not get the same scrutiny.

‘When Chelsea lose, it is always because of, because of, because of,’ Pochettino said of the £1billion references. ‘No, the circumstances of Chelsea are the circumstances of Chelsea. They (the owners) wanted to build something different.

‘It is only at the beginning. That’s why we cannot compare it with the past. Always it is Chelsea and it always appears “one billion” and you cannot fight against that idea.’

On Liverpool and City, Pochettino added: ‘Nothing negative. It’s like, if you win, you win, if you lose, you lose. Nothing happens. But for Chelsea, it is completely different because of the pressure of that (£1bn). For me, it is unfair, but in saying that, I accept the opinions.’

Chelsea’s injury crisis worsened yesterday when it emerged that Christopher Nkunku is facing at least three weeks on the sidelines for an unspecified issue.

But Pochettino claims his job is safe for now. He met the club’s co-owners Todd Boehly and Eghbali at the game at Wembley, before sitting down with Eghbali in London later on Sunday evening.

‘I