Furious Chelsea fans are calling for manager Maurizio Sarri to go after the Blues suffered a humiliating 6-0 hammering at the hands of title-chasing Manchester City on Sunday.
A rampant City were 4-0 up with just 25 minutes played thanks to a double from Sergio Aguero and goals from Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan.
Argentine ace Aguero later completed his hat-trick with a second-half penalty while Sterling made it 6-0 10 minutes from time after finishing a fine team move.
While City looked on top of their game, they were helped by a sloppy Chelsea performance riddled with errors and apparent apathy from Sarri’s team.
It means the London club remain outside the Champions League spots in sixth place – having been overtaken by Manchester United on Saturday and even slipping behind Arsenal on Sunday on goal difference, such was the nature of the rout dished out by Guardiola’s men.
Chelsea were hammered 4-0 by Bournemouth two weeks ago, and while they responded with a 5-0 win at home to bottom of the table Huddersfield last week, their failings were laid bare for all to see as City turned on the style on Sunday.
It was all too much for some Chelsea fans, who laid into Italian manager Sarri, who took over in the summer and has stubbornly refused to yield with his ‘Sarriball’ approach which is bringing ever-diminishing returns.
The #SarriOut hashtag began trending as the goals poured in, with disgruntled fans having seen enough.
Sarri appeared to shun a handshake from opposite number Guardiola at the final whistle as the Italian cut a distraught figure as he headed down the tunnel.
The snub drew further ire from fans, who accused him of acting without class - although Guardiola later said Sarri had merely not seen him.
Some fans addressed Chelsea’s billionaire Russian owner Roman Abramovich – not known for showing patience toward managers – telling him to “get that clown sacked.”
With Chelsea midfield legend Frank Lampard doing a decent job in his first managerial position at Derby County in the Championship, some fans knew exactly who they wanted to step in, should Sarri get his marching orders.
TV pundit Jamie Carragher even accused Sarri of turning Chelsea into a team more reminiscent of Arsenal during their meek latter years under Arsene Wenger.
There were starkly contrasting fortunes for Manchester City, who returned to the top of the Premier League in style and laid down a big marker for main rivals Liverpool, who themselves won 3-0 against Bournemouth on Saturday.
City now sit top by virtue of a superior goal difference, but having played a game more than the Reds.
Aguero was particularly potent on Sunday at the Etihad, putting a shocking early miss behind him to fire a hat-trick that included a superb curled top-corner finish from 25 yards.
It was the Argentine’s 11th Premier League treble, a record he know shares with Blackburn and Newcastle legend Alan Shearer.
Frighteningly for Chelsea, they face City in the League Cup final on February 24. Whether Sarri is still around to lead them out at Wembley is another matter.