Jose Mourninho puts Chelsea top of Match of the Day

Chelsea have topped the Match of the Day running order more times than any other team so far this season, and have lost on each occasion.

The BBC’s head of football Mark Cole says the “soap opera” surrounding the struggles of the reigning champions and the behaviour of their under-pressure manager Jose Mourinho has been a tough combination for the programme-makers to resist, with the Blues making five appearances in the top slot.

Other than West Ham — whose victories against Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea earned them the prime position on the main Saturday night highlights show on three occasions — no other top-flight club have been shown first more than twice.