The Blues sacked Jose Mourinho in midweek, and his successor Guus Hiddink – who returns for a second spell in charge – was in the stands to watch his team cruise past the Black Cats.
Advertisement
The 64-year-old Dutchman has come under criticism in recent weeks from fans and former players and is in need of an upturn in form or he could risk being next on the list to face the chop.
ESPN’s Chelsea correspondent, Liam Twomey, captured the moment boos rang out as the duo’s names were read out on the tannoy at Stamford Bridge. In fact I think Sunderland +2 on the handicap looks one of the plays of the weekend.
Captain John Terry used his program notes to deny that “player power” forced Mourinho out but, after a three-game league winless run ended, he accepted that winning back the fans was a challenge.
In the statement, CAA said that Mourinho had no regrets over his decision to return to Chelsea, where he won the Premier League twice previously in 2004-05 and 2005-06, and that he is ready to seek work again at the earliest opportunity.
Guus Hiddink has been appointed manager at Chelsea until the end of the season, the club have confirmed. Oscar produced a classic Eden Hazard penalty to make it 3-0.
“You let Jose down”, another banner read.
Holland has been an important and influential member of the coaching staff since 2009, while Newton is Chelsea through and through, having served us as a player and a coach, re-joining the club in 2012 and helping it win the Champions League. “Some of the football was excellent, one and two touch…it dropped off slightly in the second half but we were delighted”. We can not do that without you [the fans] being fully behind us.
Chelsea needed only five minutes to take the lead against Sam Allardyce’s men, Branislav Ivanovic rising highest to head the ball into the back of the net.
Sunderland, though, meekly provided Chelsea with the platform to demonstrate the talents undoubtedly still in the squad.
Since then, Hiddink has coached Turkey and the Netherlands, as well as spending 18 months at Anzhi Makhachkala in Russian Federation, where he signed Willian from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Advertisement
“Please believe me when I say the decision was made for no reason other than to do what we believe is in the best interests of this club”, he added.
