EPL: Chelsea return to winning ways, ease past Sunderland

Chelsea earned their fifth league win of the season as they responded to Jose Mourinho’s sacking in positive fashion.
The home wide looked much more like champions during a dominant first half as goals from Branislav Ivanovic and Pedro inside 15 minutes put them in total control.
Oscar added a penalty just after the break and it looked as if the watching Guus Hiddink might see a big win.
Sub Fabio Borini pulled one back soon after, however, and Chelsea looked shaky in the closing stages.
It was a surreal afternoon at the Bridge, with Mourinho’s name ringing out from the stands regularly and both Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa on the end of booing from their own supporters.
Branislav Ivanovic’s name was also heckled before kick-off but he started strongly and, from Willian’s corner on five minutes, he powered a header past Costel Pantilimon.
Eight minutes later and Ivanovic turned provider, firing the ball into the Sunderland box before Pedro blasted high into the net.
Costa could easily have scored from a number of first-half chances while the excellent Oscar glided through the visiting defence before the half hour only to be denied by Pantilimon.
Duncan Watmore fired over the bar with Sunderland’s sole effort in the opening half. When Pantilimon brought down Willian just after the break, Oscar stroked home as Chelsea threatened a rout.
On 53 minutes sub Adam Johnson’s free-kick was headed on target by Younes Kaboul and from the breaking ball another replacement, Borini, stabbed home.
Borini came agonisingly close another before the hour while Jermain Defoe sliced wide after creating an excellent chance for himself inside the final 20 minutes. Fabregas and Costa were taken off to a mixed reaction but Chelsea ultimately did enough to start the post-Mourinho era with three points.