Mauricio Pochettino’s empty threat: Chelsea stars fly in helicopters and visit old clubs on day off – hours after boss publicly ‘cancelled it’ as an apparent punishment for their 4-1 Newcastle horror show

Mauricio Pochettino’s threat to cancel Chelsea’s days off after their 4-1 defeat by Newcastle appeared hollow after their stars enjoyed trips away from the club’s Cobham training ground.  

Mykhailo Mudryk shared an Instagram video from a helicopter while Nicolas Jackson linked up with his former Villarreal team-mates in Spain. 

That’s despite Pochettino claiming they would ‘train early in the morning and not have a day off’ after they were dismantled in the second half at St James’ Park. 

‘We were talking in the dressing room after the game, we should go directly to the hotel and sleep, and start to train early in the morning and not have a day off,’ said Pochettino. 

‘We shouldn’t just blame the players, we need to blame altogether and this is the process of learning and understanding that we want to compete at the level people think we should compete at. We have a very talented squad but to compete is different to playing.’ 

Chelsea sources later confirmed the day off had not been cancelled and that the team would resume training this week as planned.

A stunning free-kick from Raheem Sterling was not enough for the Blues as they conceded four for the second game on the bounce. 

It looks like some of Chelsea’s stars made the most of Sunday despite Pochettino warning he would strip away that freedom in an incandescent press conference. 

Mudryk shared a video from high in the sky as he took a city helicopter tour, having been introduced as a substitute in the second half. 

Meanwhile, Jackson was all smiles in the Villarreal dressing room and embraced hat-trick hero Jose Luis Morales following their 3-1 win over Osasuna. 

Jackson netted nine goals in his final eight games for The Yellow Submarine last season to earn his £32million move to London. 

All in all it was a leisurely day for the stars and a far cry from the early morning training that a furious Pochettino had pointed towards. 

Reece James was sent off and Thiago Silva gifted the ball away for Joelinton’s goal to give the Magpies an ‘easy win’ in the eyes of their manager.

Pochettino said: ‘We were talking in the dressing room after the game, we should go directly to the hotel and sleep, and start to train early in the morning and not have a day off.

‘These games make me very, very, very, very angry. We have to show personality and character. We cannot play this type of football. 

‘Newcastle were not great, but got an easy win. We had to show it was difficult for them. But it was so easy the way we conceded and were so soft in every single challenge. We didn’t show we were playing for something important.

‘We are young and have to learn. We need to be more solid, be ready to compete. I can play football, everyone can, but you have to be ready to compete and today we didn’t.’

He added: ‘It’s not about me being there [on the touchline] or not. It is about maturity. We have to show energy and capacity to compete. The big teams perform every week, every three days in this way.

‘It was so frustrating. It was really tough. I could not show my emotion (during the game). I am very disappointed in the performance. We were not connected with the game.

‘We scored [to make it 1-1] and it was a moment to go. But the team didn’t have the right energy. It was our worst of the season.

‘We can blame ourselves. We cannot miss this opportunity to show our best.

‘There are many details, many things that build confidence and strength. We already know what is going on, and we will try to change the dynamic.’