When the fixture list for the 2015-16 season was released in June, Jose Mourinho will have looked at the month of December and afforded himself a little smile.
With the Christmas period often shaping the destiny of the title, the Portuguese will have been relieved to see a series of matches that he will have deemed eminently winnable. Home games against newly promoted duo Bournemouth and Watford plus perennial strugglers Sunderland will have delighted the Chelsea manager. The trip to Leicester will have held few fears, with only the match against Manchester United towards the end of the month posing any real concerns. Mentally, a large haul of points will have been banked.
Fast-forward a few months and the situation could not be more different. Bournemouth performed the ultimate smash-and-grab with their late 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge while rampant Leicester eased past the Blues 2-1 at the King Power Stadium, a result that proved to be the final straw as Roman Abramovich pulled the plug on Mourinho’s second spell in charge.
Sunderland were easily vanquished 3-1 in the immediate aftermath, though plenty of work remains, especially when considering the form of their next opponents.
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