Chelsea started life after Jose Mourinho with a 3-1 win over Sunderland in front of newly-appointed interim coach Guus Hiddink.
Chelsea confirmed Hiddink’s short term appointment for the second time shortly before kick-off, and the Dutchman watched alongside Roman Abramovich from the stands.
Abramovich wouldn’t have failed to notice the strong reaction to Mourinho’s sacking among Chelsea fans, whose banners and booing of the supposed ringleaders of the dressing room revolt against Mourinho were obvious from the start.
Cheers of “Stand up for the Special One” rang around Stamford Bridge in the opening minutes but were curtailed when Branislav Ivanovic put Chelsea ahead with a thumping header.
The relief around the stadium was tangible as Chelsea, without the injured Eden Hazard, pounced again eight minutes later, with Pedro taking advantage of a lucky ricochet in the Sunderland box to thrash home a second and double the advantage and equal in the opening 13 minutes the total number of goals they mustered in Mourinho’s final five Premier League games.
Diego Costa remained some way off his best and spurned two chances to add a third before the break, but the third eventually came just after the restart courtesy of an Oscar penalty after Willian was fouled.
Borini pulled one back for the visitors four minutes later but it proved little more than a consolation as Chelsea held out for a comfortable win as they begin the long road to recovery.
KEY MOMENTS
5′ GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Sunderland: Ivanovic puts Chelsea ahead with a thumping header from Willian’s corner from the right. Just what the Blues needed.
13′ GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Sunderland: Pedro makes it two and Chelsea are flying! Ivanovic’s early cross from the right takes a lucky richochet off Coates and Pedro thrashes it in from 12 yards.
26′ OSCAR MISS! Oscar should make it 3-0 after a great run, after the Black Cats defence just opened up for him, but the Brazilian is denied by a good save by the legs of Pantilimon.
32′ WATMORE CHANCE! Watmore collects a long ball forward on the edge of the box and, with Zouma tangled in knots, Watmore goes for the early shot but slices it well wide from the edge of the box. Could have taken an extra touch there, Watmore. Sunderland’s best chance of the game.
36′ COSTA CHANCE! Costa fires just over the bar from 12 yards after O’Shea let Oscar’s cross from the left bounced off the Irishman’s foot. Chelsea pushing.
48′ PENALTY! Willian is hauled down by Pantilimon in the box and Chelsea have a big chance to go 3-0 up. The penalty will have to wait while Van Aanholt receives treatment after he stayed down trying to stop the ball going in. Oscar to take..
49′ GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Sunderland: As cool as you like, Oscar sends Pantilimon the wrong way with a very calm spot kick.
53′ GOAL! Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland: Borini scores and Sunderland have hope! A deep Adam Johnson free-kick is nodded goalbound by Kaboul and turned in on the line by Borini.
58′ BORINI CHANCE! So close to another one for Borini, who is played in after some good work by Johnson, but can’t bend his shot enough to make it sneak inside the far post.
65′ DEFOE MISS! Defoe seizes on a poor header by Zouma to get in on goal, but slices his shot wide. Defoe needed to show more composure there, that was a great opportunity.
KEY STATS
Chelsea scored the same number of goals in the opening 13 minutes as they had in their final 5 Premier League games under Mourinho.
The Blues have won 19 of their last 22 Premier League matches against Sunderland (D1, L2).
No club has conceded more away goals than the 24 let in by the Black Cats.
MATCHCAST: FULL COMMENTARY & STATS
TALKING POINT
Have Chelsea turned the corner? There are clear signs that this result heralds a new start for Chelsea, but the vast majority of Blues fans remain very angry that Mourinho – and not his prima donna players – has paid the price. Guus Hiddink takes charge of a team with low morale and who are shot of confidence, but this result gives him the perfect building block ahead of the next game, against Watford.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Oscar (Chelsea): One of the main underperformers under Mourinho, Oscar produced the kind of display that made them sign him in the first place. Bright, inventive and deserving of his goal. It will take a few more displays like that from Oscar – and the likes of Costa, Ivanovic and Fabregas – to win over the disgruntled Chelsea faithful.
PLAYER RATINGS
Chelsea: Courtois 7; Ivanovic 7, Zouma 6, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 6; Matic 7, Fabregas 7; Willian 7, Oscar 9, Pedro 8; Diego Costa 6. Subs: Mikel 6, Ramires 6, Remy 6.
Sunderland: Pantillimon 6; Jones 5, Coates 3, O’Shea 4, Kaboul 5, Van Aanholt 5; Toivonen 5, Rodwell 5, M’Vila 5, Watmore 7; Defoe 6. Subs: Johnson 7, Graham 6, Borini 6.
