Mourinho-Free Chelsea Maul Black Cats

Shortly after the sacking of loudmouth José Mourinho, Chelsea have found their stride again.

Caretaker manager Steve Holland surely -- how did the Special One say it last week? -- worked for days on this match, prepared everything related to the opponent, identified movements where the opposition scored almost all their goals, and ...

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

If only for a day, the Blues returned to their winning ways at the expense of tail-dragging Sunderland, 3-1.

Chelsea is the Premiership's fallen champion of the Premiership. It takes something out of the ordinary to take a team from winners to relegation-threatened, but Mourinho was down to the task.

Now that he's gone, it seems like a pall has been lifted from Stamford Bridge.

Branislav Ivanović celebrated his happiness with a quick goal:

Willian is always involved in Chelsea affairs in one way or another.

Then came a goal from the Blues' former phenom, Pedro:

A lucky treat, that one.

Oscar may have had trouble with Mourinho, but he didn't have any in converting the penalty:

Dude's always cool as a cucumber from the spot.

Chelsea, however, are still the masters of conceding from a set piece:

Fabio Borini offered his own version of mind over matter in that one. What a rocket!

They could be loving that in the Championship next season. And Chelsea seem like the weight of the world is off their shoulders.