Jose Mourinho sacked live: Latest updates from Chelsea with Guus Hiddink set to take over

Jose Mourinho has been sacked, bringing to an end a season that saw him attract vast amounts of criticism — off the pitch and on it. Since summer, Mourinho has been blaming his team’s poor results and difficulties on those around him, including everyone from the team’s doctor to his own players. Chelsea’s statement focused on the side's poor results, saying they “had not been good enough this season” and both Mourinho and the board believed it to be “in the best interests of both parties to go our separate ways”.

For those currently out of a job and available - Carlo Ancelotti, sacked in 2011, would take a considerable amount of persuading to return and a considerable financial incentive, and would probably only come next summer.
Guus Hiddink, who rescued them in 2009 after Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked, is now 68, but has indicated he would be keen to fill in until the summer.
At that point, some of the long term targets would be available – namely Pep Guardiola, who turned Chelsea down in 2013, Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone – or Ancelotti, should he be persuaded.
If Abramovich chooses to stick with Mourinho the key will be Chelsea finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League next season. Last season, Manchester United were fourth with 70 points.

GETTYCarlo Ancelotti would take a lot of persuading to return to Stamford Bridge

Chelsea currently have 11 points, and have 28 matches left. That means they need 59 points from those games – an average of 2.1 points per game between now and the end of the season.
It is do-able right now – but too many more losses (Chelsea have already lost five times in the league this season) and Abramovich will act.
If Chelsea, who played well at Stoke but once again lacked the finishing touch, can beat Liverpool or draw, then it is likely that Mourinho will limp on.
All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge on Saturday. But that may well not be not be the end of the story.