Super emotional day for Terry
IT WAS a day that was more a prize-giving and a leaving do than a football match, and that was made all too clear when John Terry went off for his farewell in the 26th minute, but Chelsea at least completed the formality.
In that, they actually broke a Premier League record with this 5-1 by becoming the first side to win 30 games in a season, and set themselves up for next Saturday’s FA Cup final against Arsenal.
The winner in Antonio Conte will be pleased at that, the club icon in Terry was meanwhile delighted with his farewell.
The outgoing Chelsea captain’s last act at Stamford Bridge as a player felt very “modern football”.
In the 26th minute of the game, with the moment of course picked to acknowledge his shirt number, Terry was taken off for Gary Cahill so that he could bask in the crowd’s full acclaim.
The supporters already had a huge banner saying “thank you for everything” before the game, and there was even a makeshift guard of honour, as he got hearty hugs from so many teammates and his manager Conte.
Those at Chelsea say this was the idea of Terry himself, and that Conte was happy to go along with it.
There can be no doubting his legacy or status here.
In terms of the actual football, it was Sunderland who were cheering first, as Javier Manquillo lashed them into the lead after just three minutes. He found himself completely free at the edge of the box when a set-piece bounced towards him and, although Terry was actually the closest man, it was not his fault as the right-back powered the ball high into the net past Thibaut Courtois.
Chelsea soon began to overwhelm Sunderland, the equaliser almost came through sheer force of numbers.
Marcos Alonso hit the bar with a brilliant free-kick and, after the scramble that fol-