Stoke 1 - Chelsea 0: Mourinho faces sack as Arnautovic sends Blues down to another defeat

Rui Faria took over touchline duties for Chelsea

STOKE piled more pressure on an absent Jose Mourinho with a gritty victory over wasteful Chelsea at the Britannia.

 

Marko Arnautovic's acrobatic second-half finish was enough to see the Potters past their beleaguered opponents.

The defeat drops Chelsea to 16th in the Premier League table, with Mourinho's job security more uncertain than ever.

Assistant manager Rui Faria took over the touchline duties as Mourinho sat through his one-game stadium ban.

Chelsea had their chances to score but came up against an in-form Jack Butland between the Stoke sticks.

Marko Arnautovic (left) scores Stoke's winner

The goalkeeper saved magnificently off Diego Costa to keep the striker at bay, while Pedro clipped a second-half effort onto the post.

Eden Hazard put wide a golden opportunity 10 minutes from time and Remy, having rounded Butland moments later, slipped and missed the target on a calamitous day for the Premier League champions.