SO, WILL IT BE TRICK OR TREAT ON HALLOWEEN?
HE could be sacked this Saturday, on Halloween of all nights, and this was a fittingly ghoulish prelude in the Potteries for Jose Mourinho. Beaten again, this time on penalties, the agony goes on. As Jack Butland brilliantly tipped Eden Hazard’s effort over the bar and the Britannia erupted, Mourinho trudged towards his opposite number Mark Hughes to receive a sympathetic hug. The Chelsea fans were equally supportive, applauding their manager from the field as he headed for the tunnel, vanquished once again. They are still with him and so are the players judging by this performance. Even Oscar converted a penalty for him here. But ultimately it was another defeat. If Chelsea are beaten
again at home to Liverpool on Saturday, in what would be a sixth Premier League loss in 11 games, the axe could well fall. Before then, Mourinho must answer his latest FA charge by 6pm tomorrow. He faces being banned from the touchline or even the stadium. There is something grimly fascinating about a character like him unravelling as publicly as he has done in recent months. While his team of champions have crumbled before our eyes, Mourinho appears to have come apart at the seams, raging against every symbol of authority on his descent into self-sympathy and bitterness. Last night there was none of the rancour that has engulfed him this season, even when his players were going down like nine-pins against a Stoke team who went about their business with relish. Just what appeared to be a rather sad acceptance of what now looks inevitable. He emerged from the tunnel just before kick-off trying perhaps too hard to look the picture of relaxation. Shirt unbuttoned, hands stuffed in the pockets of his raincoat, he was flanked by two bodyguards and then a horde of photographers. His name echoed from the Chelsea supporters within moments of the start. But when he emerged off the bench for the first time to complain about Phil Bardsley’s late tackle on Oscar, there was a predictable chorus of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ from the home fans. Stoke manager Mark Hughes had said beforehand that Chelsea would be mad to sack Mourinho, but this occasion was tailor made for the home team. Diego Costa (left), who did not even make it to half-time after an injury to his ribs, Kurt Zouma, Eden Hazard and Willian all needed treatment before the break. Mourinho looked on in mute despair. As they walked off at the break, former Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell put a consoling arm around his shoulder. But there was to be no sympathy from Stoke or their goalscorer Jon Walters. Loic Remy looked to have saved Chelsea’s bacon with an injury-time equaliser, particularly seeing as Stoke had been reduced to 10 men by Phil Bardsley’s sending-off. But the Potters held on and then delivered another knockout blow from the penalty spot to the man who once appeared to be bullet proof. At one point, the travelling fans took to singing tribute songs to Frank Lampard and what now feels like a bygone age.