Chelsea make the short trip to Craven Cottage on Wednesday evening with interim boss Calum McFarlane in the dugout for what will be his final game in charge. The Under-21s coach will oversee the west London derby against Fulham before newly appointed head coach Liam Rosenior officially takes the reins.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm, with the match broadcast live on Sky Sports. The Blues sit fifth in the table with 31 points after 20 games, just three points clear of 11th-placed Fulham and three points outside the Champions League spots. A victory in midweek would see Chelsea leapfrog into the top four on goal difference.
Rosenior signed a six-year contract with Chelsea on Tuesday, ending his spell at Strasbourg, another club owned by the BlueCo consortium. The 41-year-old confirmed he could not turn down the opportunity despite interest from Champions League clubs. However, McFarlane will lead the team at Craven Cottage before Rosenior makes his touchline debut on Saturday in an FA Cup third-round tie at Charlton.
McFarlane guided Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Sunday, with Enzo Fernandez bundling in a last-gasp equaliser after the hosts had dominated large periods. Fulham also benefited from a dramatic late leveller in their most recent outing, as Harrison Reed’s 97th-minute thunderbolt rescued a 2-2 draw against Liverpool.
Chelsea must buck a worrying away trend, having won just one of their last six on the road in all tournaments and none of their last four in the Premier League. The Blues are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League London derbies, but four of Fulham’s last five matches against Chelsea have ended in defeat.
Chelsea have long-term absentees Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo, and Romeo Lavia unavailable, though Moises Caicedo returns from suspension after missing the Manchester City fixture. Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez, and Wesley Fofana could all return to the squad after recent absences.
Calum McFarlane expected in the dugout, with Liam Rosenior in the stands
Liam Rosenior held a farewell news conference in France on Tuesday morning before his move to Chelsea was announced. The former Hull City and Derby County manager led Strasbourg to European qualification for the first time in 19 years in his first season, and arrives at Stamford Bridge with a reputation for developing young players and implementing an aggressive pressing system.
While Rosenior is expected to be present at Craven Cottage on Wednesday, he will not be in the technical area. Instead, he will observe from the stands as McFarlane takes charge of team selection, tactics, and substitutions for the final time. The new manager will then officially begin his Chelsea tenure on Saturday when the Blues travel to The Valley for their FA Cup third round clash with League One side Charlton Athletic.