Diego Costa and Cesc Fàbregas were booed by Chelsea fans before the match against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge.
The perceived involvement of the Spanish pair in the departure of José Mourinho prompted many home fans to jeer when their names were announced in the starting line-up. One banner described Fàbregas, Costa and Eden Hazard as “the three rats”.
There was considerable support for Mourinho in the form of T-shirts, banners, face masks and chants: the Chelsea fans were singing his name when Branislav Ivanovic scored the opening goal after five minutes.
Costa and Fàbregas were booed again when they were substituted in the second half, with Costa walking straight down the tunnel after being replaced by Loïc Rémy.
Mourinho was sacked on Thursday after a miserable start to the season in which Chelsea, the defending champions, lost nine of their first 16 Premier League games.
