Things are looking increasingly bleak for Antonio Conte.
Reports prior to Chelsea’a game with Watford at Vicarage Road on Monday night suggested the wrong result could be enough for the Italian to be sacked as the Premier League champions’ manager. Unfortunately for him, Chelsea did indeed get the wrong result.
They weren’t helped by Tiémoué Bakayoko. The French midfielder was sent off for a second bookable offence in the first half.
Before the half was out, Watford got their noses in front from a Troy Deeney penalty.
It remained this way until eight minutes from time, when Eden Hazard’s stunning long-range effort appeared to have salvaged a point for Chelsea.
It hadn’t.
Two minutes later, Daryl Janmaat restored the home side’s lead, with Gerard Deulofeu making the points safe soon after. Just to run salt into the wounds, Roberto Pereyra made it 4-1 in stoppage time.
By this stage, the writing appeared on the wall for Conte. So much so that many on Twitter had already (jokingly) identified the man most likely to be replacing him: Guud Hiddink.
The Dutchman, has stepped in at least 18 times (probably only twice) when Roman Abramovich has dismissed previous Chelsea managers – enough for lots of people to suggest he might be about to be brought back to Stamford Bridge once again.
https://twitter.com/pcox970/status/960632900562685952
Roman Abramovich searching frantically for Guus Hiddink's phone number….. pic.twitter.com/ofsoEf1hF5
— Jonathan Higgins (@Jhiggins3) February 5, 2018
Gus hiddink loading 😂😂
— – 🥷 (@scribblrr) February 5, 2018
They can’t go for Hiddink AGAIN, can they? #cfc
— Richard Innes (@bigrichinnes) February 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/ChatCheIsea/status/960632859827605504
Abramovic to Hiddink rn pic.twitter.com/LbbxNxzZ5p
— Ali Kaakour (@Kaakour) February 5, 2018
Where's that break glass in case of emergency sign that summons Hiddink to London?
— Cameron Moore (@cameron2604) February 5, 2018
