The results sees Chelsea go 15th, four points clear of the relegation zone, with the first-half display in the first period in particular, full of the kind of verve missing in recent weeks and months.
Advertisement
Captain John Terry, meanwhile, attempted to shoot down rumours that Mourinho was axed due to the influence of the players at the club.
The skipper continued, ” And as I said, that’s behind us now, that’s in the past, and listen, we ahve to move on, we have to start winning football matches, and Chelsea needs to be a lot higher in the league than we are”.
“He’s very fortunate in that he’s got a very good quality side when we’re on song. If we keep on putting performances like that the fans will be happy”.
Chelsea’s Loic Remy, left, competes for the ball with Sunderland’s Billy Jones during the En …
Chelsea FC decided it was time to make a change as they fired manager Jose Mourinho and today, it was announced that former Netherlands boss Guus Hiddink had been named the interim manager.
Chelsea caretaker manager Steve Holland directs his side during their Premier League match on Saturday against Sunderland.
The club highlighted how fans were “singing his name following our final home game” of the 2008-09 season but it was Mourinho’s name they were still chanting on Saturday.
When Spain striker Diego Costa’s name was read out prior to kickoff, fans booed.
Fans also defaced posters of the trio outside the ground, with “Fight – like your fans” stickers placed on their foreheads. They let him and us down.
But Holland revealed that the players were told to put aside any personal feelings they had to get the result they needed.
Manchester United were booed off at halftime and full time at Old Trafford where they trailed to goals from Norwich’s Cameron Jerome and Alex Tettey before Anthony Martial replied for the misfiring Reds.
Bransilav Ivanovic opened the scoring for Chelsea after five minutes, before Pedro made it 2-0 eight minutes later.
“Where were you when you were (expletive)?”
Unlike earlier outings, Chelsea were dominant against Sunderlands Saturday from the blast of the whistle and they were two goals up inside 13 minutes.
Hiddink’s first match in charge of Chelsea will come on Boxing Day when Watford visit Stamford Bridge, a match in which he will attempt to lead the champions to back to back wins.
Substitute Fabio Borini pulled one back for Sunderland, who remain in the bottom three following the defeat, their 11th in 17 games this season.
“Now we find ourselves on the points total way behind the games played total, and that’s the difficulty, that’s where the pressure lies on these players week on week now”. “Some of the football was excellent, one and two touch…it dropped off slightly in the second half but we were delighted”.
Advertisement
Guus Hiddink (2/9) If Chelsea need a stop-gap option, they could look to someone who has done the job before.
