MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S problems mounted as struggling Chelsea crashed to a dismal 4-2 defeat against Wolves.
Premier League leaders Liverpool face a crucial clash with title rivals Arsenal later on Sunday, but it was Chelsea’s travails that took the spotlight before the showdown at the Emirates Stadium.
Languishing in 11th place, Chelsea were booed off by furious fans after Matheus Cunha’s hat-trick condemned them to a second successive defeat.
Chelsea were thrashed by Liverpool 4-1 on Wednesday and their week-to-forget finished with an even more embarrassing loss as Wolves completed the double over the woeful west Londoners.
Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead with a composed angled finish from Moises Caicedo’s defence-splitting pass in the 19th minute.
But Chelsea’s lead lasted just three minutes, with Cunha’s shot taking a hefty deflection off Thiago Silva to leave Blues keeper Djordje Petrovic wrong-footed as it whistled into the net.
Pochettino wore an exasperated look in the 43rd minute when Rayan Ait Nouri’s shot deflected in for an own goal off Chelsea defender Axel Disasi.
The already fraught atmosphere turned even more toxic in the 63rd minute as Pedro Neto teed up Cunha to drive in Wolves’ third goal.
Cunha’s 82nd-minute penalty, awarded when he was fouled by Malo Gusto, capped a miserable afternoon for Pochettino, who took no consolation from Silva’s close-range finish in the 86th minute.
It has been a dispiriting first season in charge for Pochettino and the former Tottenham boss is certain to face calls for his sacking unless results improve quickly.
Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has already shown his ruthless side by sacking Graham Potter after less than seven months in charge last term.
With trips to Aston Villa and Manchester City among their next three games, Chelsea could be in complete disarray by the time they face Liverpool in the League Cup final at Wembley on 25 February.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest are two points above the relegation zone after a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.
Dutch forward Justin Kluivert gave Bournemouth the perfect start when he poked home in the fifth minute.
But Callum Hudson-Odoi hauled Forest level on the stroke of half-time with a curler from the edge of the area.
Bournemouth had Philip Billing sent off for a foul on Hudson-Odoi in the 84th minute.
All the focus will be on Chelsea and how poor they were but Gary O Neill has been arguably the coach of the season so far.
@Bert Carolan: After his unceremonious booting from Bournemouth, I’m delighted to see him doing well.
@Bert Carolan: As an Evertonian I fully thought they’d be the ones down there after changing with O Neill coming in and remember thinking that won’t work but how wrong was I, seems a likable fella too, well done Wolves
@Noel Doherty: *down there with ourselves like lolz
@Noel Doherty: It’s tempting to think that O Neill would do really well at a top club but maybe that’s not the way things work. Probably the right man at the right time, taking a group of reasonable players who did not expect too much from the season. Gets them playing as a team with no egos. Not easily done at one of the top clubs.
I’d like to see Everton stay up, great club and great tradition.
Love it. Horrible club.
Funny how every Utd are scrutinised so much and every loss or draw is seemingly a dead nail for ETH. While Chelsea plod along in mid table and nothing said about Poch.
@Cormac: Well it’s all about clicks isn’t it? Fact is that Utd are still one of the biggest clubs in the world. And after all the success with Ferguson there is a certain amount of Shadenfreude seeing them struggle.Theres nothing like that with Chelsea, a club where players have regularly thrown managers under the bus. Personally I want anyone except City to win the Pl this year.
@Bert Carolan: Very correct.