Mourinho Leaves Chelsea Post

Chelsea have sensationally parted company with manager Jose Mourinho ahead of Sunday's clash with United at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese tactician has left Stamford Bridge by mutual consent after an indifferent start to the season, and Chelsea have confirmed former director of football Avram Grant as Mourinho's successor alongside Steve Clarke.

Grant, a close friend of club owner Roman Abramovich, joined the Blues in the summer from Portsmouth, where he was technical director. He has also coached Israel, Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Maccabi Haifa.

Mourinho's departure is sure to stun the world of football, given the immense success the 44-year-old had enjoyed in his three years at Stamford Bridge. Having arrived from Porto in the summer of 2004, he won two Premier League titles, two Carling Cups, the FA Cup - at United's expense last May - and reached the Champions League semi-finals twice.

As recently as Tuesday morning, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon had denied rumours that Mourinho would be sacked. "There's loads of speculation that if we don't win Jose gets fired, but that's not the way we think," he said.

It throws Chelsea's preparations for Sunday's visit to Old Trafford into further turmoil as Didier Drogba (knee), Frank Lampard (hip/thigh), Ricardo Carvalho (ankle) and Claudio Pizarro (calf) all face a race to be fit for the trip to Manchester.