Chelsea FC: ‘Everyone’s entitled to their opinion’ – Steve Holland addresses

Mourinho’s sack comes just after seven months of winning the league title with virtually the same Chelsea team.

Borini was sent on for Ola Toivonen for the visitors at the break, but the game was up in the 50th minute when Pantilimon brought Willian down in the area.

When asked if he thinks he has the backing of the United board, Van Gaal said “I think so, but you never know”. He will want to get going sooner rather than later and it would not be a surprise if big clubs are interested in him.

A Chelsea fan holds a banner to support Jose Mourinho prior to the Premier League match against Sunderland on Saturday at Stamford Bridge.

The former England global, thanked his former manager, both on behalf of the club and in a personal capacity, stressing that “together we won so many big trophies, ‘ He also played down rumous of players not giving their all for their former manager, insisting that ‘all of us go out to win every game”.

“I’m disappointed in the lack of consistency, we’ve seen some good things, in back-to-back wins but now we’ve dropped right back in the mire again because of a lack of results”.

Mourinho’s famed man-management skills were called into question over his handling of Dr Eva Carneiro’s acrimonious exit from Chelsea in September.

The Portuguese released a statement in which he revealed that he will “not be taking a sabbatical” from football because he “isn’t tired”, “doesn’t need it” and is “very positive” as he looks forward to a new challenge.

“On a day like Thursday I felt particularly sad”.

On whether he would be at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea’s game against Norwich City today, Hiddink said: “That (attending the game) is something the coaches do”.

Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo said “palpable discord between manager and players” was a factor in Mourinho’s dismissal, but Terry said player unrest was not the reason for his departure.

“This club is all of us and this club can not be in the position it is now”.

“We will not forget what Jose has done for this club”.

‘Where were you when we were shit?’ they chanted at their own players.

“We are aware there have been rumours about player power at the club but I want to make clear that is not the case”, Terry wrote in his column in a matchday program. “But the start of this season has come as a major disappointment to the owner, the board and Chelsea fans everywhere and I think it is fair to say nobody expected us to be in the position we are in the Premier League just before Christmas”.

“We have quality players, I’ve no doubt about that, and the players care, and they had to show that on the pitch”.