Chelsea fans take anger at Pochettino to Darts Masters as Van Gerwen opponent is welcomed with ‘clown’ sign

FANS pleading for Mauricio Pochettino to check out of Stamford Bridge took their protests to the final of the Cazoo Darts Masters.

Banners calling the Blues’ boss a “clown” were held up as Englishman Stephen Bunting came out to face Michael van Gerwen.

Posters venting frustration at Chelsea chief Mauricio Pochettino were unveiled as darts ace Stephen Bunting walked out for his special night

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Pochettino suffered during Chelsea’s 4-2 home loss against Wolves and the response from angry supporters extended to the Cazoo Darts Masters[/caption]

The anti-Poch message appeared to have been hastily scrawled

Sunday’s 4-2 home defeat against Wolves left Chelsea 11th in the Premier League – despite Pochettino spending around £450million on new signings last summer.

Supporters were hardly reassured afterwards – as the Argentinian promised the Blues would not go down rather than pledge an unlikely push for a European spot.

And after Chelsea conceded four goals in successive league games for the first time since 1989, Poch said: “It is like everything is going wrong.”

Defender Thiago Silva‘s wife Bella didn’t help by posting on Instagram: “It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late.”

And discontent over Pochettino‘s record then spread from Stamford Bridge to Milton Keynes – for Sunday’s big night at the oche.

Instead of celebrating an expected victory over Wolves with Bunting, Chelsea fans bemoaned a surprise defeat to the mid-table Midlanders with banners – as they unveiled “Poch is a clown” posters at the darts event live on TV.

Bunting himself was far from put off as he rounded off his inspired tournament by beating three-time world champ Van Gerwen 11-7.

That gave the St Helens hurler, 38, his first ever televised PDC title.

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Bunting hammered Peter Wright 10-2, Nathan Aspinall 11-1 and new world king Luke Humphries 10-7 before notching only his fourth triumph in 26 attempts against MVG.

The English ace said: “I’m lost for words… This just shows my hard work is paying off, and it’s a great start to the season. 

“Michael is a multiple world champion. He’s a fantastic player.

“That is where I want to get my game back to so let’s see what happens in the future, but I really think I deserve this trophy.

“My main aim when I moved over from the BDO was to win big titles, but you’re playing the best of the best, and you’re going to be pushed all the way.”

Pochettino might hope some of Bunting’s transformed fortune rubs off on him.

But he won’t want to get what the weekend hero has for a nickname – The Bullet.