Chelsea forward Kai Havertz explains how seven-game goalless run made life hell for him and his girlfriend

• German forward playing as central striker
• Struggled for end product at one stage
• Now netted in back-to-back games

WHAT HAPPENED? The Germany international has often been asked to lead the line for the Blues this season, with the Premier League heavyweights still lacking a reliable No.9. Havertz has recorded nine goals across all competitions, but failed to find the target between January 15 and March 12 – before netting in back-to-back outings against Borussia Dortmund and Leicester – and the 23-year-old admits to enduring a testing time on and off the field.

WHAT THEY SAID: “Football is our life. If you lose a game, of course you don’t have an easy life. I think everyone at home, especially my girlfriend, has had some tough weeks as well the last weeks and months.

“I think she is happy now again and so am I. If you have a bad day at work… you… I won’t say the word now but you don’t feel good. Football is a game where we have a lot of pressure on our shoulders. We want to make the fans happy and if you don’t make them happy then you don’t have a good time. Winning is always the best, we won again so we can enjoy some days.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Chelsea have found the going tough as a collective in 2022-23 – with Graham Potter replacing Thomas Tuchel in the dugout – but a recent upturn in fortune has seen them progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League while also keeping hopes of securing a top-six finish in the Premier League alive.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Chelsea, who have recorded three successive wins while conceding just one goal across those fixtures, will head into the March international break on the back of a home date with Everton on Saturday.