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He will be back to his former employer's ground but manager Jose Mourinho doesn't yet know how Chelsea supporters will welcome him at Stamford Bridge where his current soccer outfit Manchester United will take on the home team in a kick-off on Sunday.

It's not that 53-year-old Mourinho, who joined the Red Devils in May after leaving Chelsea in December 2015, is returning as an opposition manager to the Chelsea ground (in 2010, he did so as the manager of the Inter Milan), but this time, the feeling is different. Reasons: The rivalry between the two sides and also Chelsea's rebuilding their team after the departure of Mourinho last year. 

That the supporters of Chelsea still loved the man when he had left the club for the second time was visible when they booed their own players even after they beat Sunderland, just a couple of days following their separation with Mourinho. Fans were also seen singing the former manager's name in the stands, ESPN reported.

Not all are denying the mood which had prevailed back then. David Chidgey, chair of Chelsea Supporters' Trust told ESPN FC in his own capacity: "I can understand the attitude of some towards the players, because there was so much toxicity surrounding the club at the time."

He said the accomplished manager had helped Chelsea win a number of titles and even did excellently well with a team which was not considered that good and hence when the perception that "players were acting up" became strong, one can understand why people got upset.

 Maurino has been chosen as the Premier League Manager of Season thrice till date and each of those occasions came during his stint with Chelsea. Hence, one can understand how emotionally charged will be the Sunday's match environment once Mourinho makes himself visible on the touchline.

There could also be some hurt sentiments, given Chelsea's ordinary show towards the end of Mourinho's last stint and also his desire to take up the Man U job, but that could be mostly an exception while the home team's most successful manager in history enters the ground with a strong opponent.

The last time Manchester United and Chelsea played each other was in the Premier League in February this year and the match held at the same Stamford Bridge had ended 1-1.