1. Blues supporters roll in behind Mourinho
PEOPLE WILL SAY Chelsea’s players were damned if they do, damned if they don’t this afternoon.
Show vast improvements just two days after Jose Mourinho’s sacking and they would be criticised for refusing to fight for their Portuguese manager in his final months.
Put in another shambolic performance against relegation strugglers Sunderland to slip even closer to the bottom three and they would also have been castigated.
As it happened, they were the former. Two goals up inside the first 13 minutes, the Blues ran out 3-1 winners on the day that Guus Hiddink was appointed interim manager until the end of the season.
Fans at Stamford Bridge spent the afternoon showing their appreciation for Mourinho while pointing the finger at those who’ve been below-par in recent times — Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas were subjected to jeers and featured on a banner alongside the absent Eden Hazard.
2. Pressure mounting for Van Gaal
The boos were audible around Old Trafford after Manchester United fans suffered their third defeat on the bounce while extending the winless run to six matches.
Having lost out to Bournemouth last weekend, Norwich were the latest newly-promoted side to hit them for three points — the Canaries’ first triumph at the stadium known as the Theatre of Dreams for 26 years.
After their promising start to the season, things really appear to be unraveling for Louis van Gaal and the Dutchman didn’t seem full of confidence when asked about his future after the final whistle.
The club’s owners are likely to stick rather than twist for the time being but it remains to be seen how long they will put up with these sort of results.
And while Pep Guardiola looks set to join Manchester City, another one of the world’s elite managers has just come on the market.
Mourinho to United? Surely not.
3. Foxes top of the tree for Christmas
From bottom of the league to top in the space of 12 months.
This time last year Leicester City were staring relegation in the face before they began to turn things around under Nigel Pearson.
Tonight the Foxes hold a five-point lead at the summit of the table thanks to a 3-2 win away to Everton — their 11th in 17 league matches.
It will come as little surprise to learn Jamie Vardy put in a man-of-the-match performance while partner-in-crime Riyad Mahrez scored twice from the penalty spot to take his league tally to 13 for the season.
Nothing is won in December but it is a remarkable achievement for a side tipped for the drop by some.
4. McClean’s recklessness punished
James McClean has shown in the past that he isn’t afraid to put himself about on the football field but the West Brom winger was needlessly reckless with his challenge on Bournemouth’s Adam Smith and fully-deserved his red card this afternoon.
“He reacts to a challenge from Smith where the referee hasn’t given a free-kick and follows it up with a silly challenge,” said Baggies boss Tony Pulis, whose side were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth.
The winger was regularly brought on as a substitute in an attempt to give Ireland a lift during the recent Euro 2016 qualification campaign and while it worked to good effect at times, the former Derry City winger’s enthusiasm can occasionally get him in trouble.
