CHELSEA VS SUNDERLAND MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Fans chant for Mourinho as Ivanovic, Pedro and Oscar put Chelsea three up. Chelsea wins the match by scoring a 3-1 victory against Sunderland.

Chelsea v Sunderland, Premier League – Will the likes of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas start performing now that Jose Mourinho has gone? 

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich (right) celebrates next to Didier Drogba

 

 

 

 

Fabregas watch

The Press association detailed one of their reporters to track the Chelsea No4, the darling of Stamford Bridge. Here is his assessment:
Attitude
Not quite a man transformed, but Fabregas' sprightly demeanour indicated a weight lifted.
Fabregas was committed and focused from the off, putting himself about - and crucially, completely ignoring clear castigation from the home supporters.
The former Arsenal midfielder was accused of underperforming in a bid to oust Mourinho.
Back in business: Branislav Ivanovic opened the scoring for Chelsea  Photo: REX FEATURES
The rumour mill suggested the furore over former club doctor Eva Carnerio's exit led to Mourinho losing respect among Chelsea's top stars.
Mourinho branded Carneiro "naive" for rushing to treat Eden Hazard during the 2-2 draw with Swansea on August 8 and the Portuguese medic later left Stamford Bridge.
Fabregas has always rebuffed claims he had attempted to unseat the now former Blues boss, and kept calm in the face of abuse from the home faithful.
The Chelsea fans twice booed Fabregas' name when read out by the stadium announcer before kick-off, but all the while the man himself simply focused on the job in hand.
The home support launched into 'Jose Mourinho, Jose Mourinho' chants as Fabregas was replaced, but again there was no reaction from the low-key midfielder.
Teamwork
Fabregas kept his shape impressively in front of Chelsea's back-four, sitting in alongside defensive midfielder Nemanja Matic to allow the hosts' more offensive talents to take control.
Impact
While Fabregas neither laid on any assists nor found the net, the intelligent playmaker dictated Chelsea's rhythm in a first-half performance that assured the home side's victory.

Here was a restoration of the savvy flicks and astute step-overs that can so punctuate Chelsea's flowing play at its very best.
Fabregas produced one smart through-ball that ran just too long for Oscar, but kept Chelsea's metronome ticking tidily enough.
Verdict
Fabregas and his Chelsea team-mates attacked a no-win situation in fine and fully appropriate style - by simply winning this match.
The fans offered the first brickbats, openly suggesting the players had restored full effort now Mourinho was gone.
The only response available to Fabregas is to perform on the pitch.
Mourinho makes his point to Cesc Fabregas
The 28-year-old did the necessary at Stamford Bridge and now interim boss Guus Hiddink can pick up his part in trying to push Chelsea into a new era.
Fabregas was not exactly restored to the man Mourinho signed and who set the tone for Chelsea's Premier League title victory last term, but this was certainly a step-up in standard.

There are some strange days in the life of any football club, even more so at Chelsea in the Roman Abramovich years, but none in recent memory when there has been so much anger directed at the home team for improving their performance in the aftermath of a managerial sacking.

Chelsea fan holds up a banner for the players

Today the “palpable discord” – to borrow a phrase from the Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo – was between supporters and players, on an occasion when there was booing for Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas and nothing but love for the absent Jose Mourinho. He may be gone, but on this occasion every homemade banner, and just about every chant, was in honour of the club’s sacked manager.

 

A banner describing three players as 'rats'

In the private box belonging to Abramovich, the owner and his new interim coach Guus Hiddink took their places alongside Chelsea’s great pride of Africa, the indomitable Didier Drogba. If ever there was a public relations card to be played in the aftermath of the sacking of one of the club’s most popular figures then, short of bringing out Frank Lampard, Drogba was that man. 

New Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink, Drogba and Abramovich celebrate Pedro's goal

• Chelsea v Sunderland as it happened

On the pitch, Chelsea were three goals ahead within 48 minutes but that only seemed to enrage the home support more. “Where were you when you were s***?” they asked of Pedro Roriguez when he scored the second, his first league goal since August. Where, indeed? This was one occasion that was a no-win for the Chelsea team: lose and it was more of the same, win and it was more evidence of Jose’s Great Betrayal.

Pedro scores Chelsea's second

The temperature was high before the game even started with one homemade banner proclaiming Fabregas, Costa and Eden Hazard as “rats” and another sternly warning the whole squad “You let us down, you let Jose down”. Hazard was absent through injury but Costa and Fabregas both played and had their names booed when they were announced.

The second chant for Mourinho had only just begun when Branislav Ivanovic, one of Chelsea’s worst performers this season, headed in Willian’s corner. He appeared to run towards the area of the pitch below Abramovich’s private box and the owner himself jumped to his feet to celebrate.

 

Back in business: Branislav Ivanovic opened the scoring for Chelsea

It is remarkable that even a man who battled his way out of the break-up of the Soviet Union with a decent slice of that nation’s natural resources can get emotional about the bickering over the legacy of a simple football manager. But that was what it was like at Chelsea, with the team playing as if they were trying to prove a point and the home crowd simply getting angry at how much better they were doing.

 

A beaming Abramovich

When Pedro volleyed in a second on 13 minutes the message for the home support was clear: they did not appreciate the improvement coming only after the sacking of their favourite manager. Only Willian, whose name was cheered when it was announced, seemed to be exempt from the blame.

Willian earned a penalty for his team after this challenge from Sunderland's Costel Pantilimon

One move between Willian, Pedro and Fabregas to cross to the back post for Costa, was as good as anything they have managed this season. Oscar looked determined to prove he was liberated with a Rabona cross in the first half, a couple of back-heels and a demand to get on the ball at every opportunity.

The third goal was from the penalty spot three minutes after half-time. Costel Pantilimon needlessly tripped Willian as he ran away from goal and Oscar was as keen as ever to take the penalty which he scored easily.

Oscar celebrates scoring the third for Chelsea from the spot

Sunderland had been pretty dreadful, in spite of the five man defence which Sam Allardyce started with. Adam Johnson came on for Sebastan Coates after 23 minutes and Fabio Borini was on at half-time for Ola Toivinen. The former Chelsea academy boy scored on 53 minutes from close range when Younes Kaboul headed Johnson’s free-kick back across goal.

Fabio Borini (left) scores Sunderland's only goal

There was a moment when Chelsea wobbled and if Jermain Defoe had been more precise with a volley on 65 minutes then the game would have been in the balance. Temporary coach Steve Holland substituted Costa on 75 minutes and as he came off he was booed by a lot of the home support. There was applause too but Costa only seemed to hear the former and looked round him with the kind of expression he normally saves for opposition centre-halves

Chelsea's Diego Costa heads down the tunnel shortly after being substituted

Fabregas had got similar treatment earlier. As ever, it was split with much applause for both players too. Chelsea were never in trouble but watching from high, Hiddink will be glad that he has some credit with the supporters from his first caretaker spell in 2009. This could be a rough ride until the end of the season.

Guus Hiddink (second left) meets the Chelsea players after the match