Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho was on Saturday left to admit that he could be sacked after a 3-1 home defeat against Southampton left the reigning champions 10 points off the pace in 16th place.
Seeking to bounce back from their 2-1 UEFA Champions League loss at Porto, Chelsea recalled captain John Terry and took a 10th-minute lead when Willian planted a free-kick in the top-right corner from wide on the left.
However, Steven Davis rattled home a 43rd-minute equalizer from Graziano Pelle’s chested lay-off before an unsuccessful interception by Terry allowed Sadio Mane to run through and put Southampton ahead on the hour.
Photo: Reuters
After Radamel Falcao had been booked for a dive in the Southampton box, Pelle added a merited third in the 72nd minute, gathering a pass from Mane and arrowing a shot into the bottom-left corner.
It was the first time Mourinho had seen an away team score more than twice at Stamford Bridge in the league and it sealed Chelsea’s fourth defeat of the campaign — their worst start to a season in 37 years.
“If the club wants to sack me, they have to sack me, because I am not running away,” Mourinho said. “It is a crucial moment in the history of this club, because if they sack me, they sack the best manager this club has ever had.”
Elsewhere, Sergio Aguero plundered five goals in a dizzying 20-minute spell as Manchester City demolished Newcastle United 6-1 to reclaim first place in the English Premier League.
City went behind in the 18th minute when Aleksandar Mitrovic headed home, but Aguero equalized in the 42nd minute before hitting the net again four more times.
Kevin de Bruyne also scored, as well as teeing up two of Aguero’s goals, as Manuel Pellegrini’s side provisionally moved two points clear of Manchester United.
Leicester City returned to the top four after winning 2-1 at Norwich City courtesy of goals from Jamie Vardy, who claimed his seventh goal of the campaign from the spot, and Jeff Schlupp.
West Ham United slipped to fifth place following a 2-2 draw at second-bottom Sunderland.
Steven Fletcher and Jeremain Lens, who scored a classy chip, put Sunderland 2-0 up, but Lens was then sent off for two bookable offenses, and goals from Carl Jenkinson and Dimitri Payet earned West Ham a point.
Full debutant Glenn Murray scored, but then saw a late penalty saved as AFC Bournemouth were held to a 1-1 draw by fellow promoted side Watford, for whom Odion Ighalo netted for the fifth time this season.
Meanwhile, Marko Arnautovic earned Stoke City a 1-0 win at Aston Villa.
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