Chelsea’s fifth Premier League red card of the season cost them yet another opportunity for three points as they fell to defeat against Fulham.
Marc Cucurella was sent off after 22 minutes for pulling down Harry Wilson when clean through on goal, with the Fulham man on hand to score the winner in the second half.
Liam Delap had impressed after making a rare start for the Blues, scoring his first Premier League goal for them to drag them back into the game.
Who does Rosenior NEED to drop after that? 😬
Chelsea lose again as Fulham take advantage of red card
Marc Cururella gets sent off v Fulham.
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The task for the 10 men was too much though, and Liam Rosenior will now be more than aware of the task he is in for at Stamford Bridge.
Referee Peter Bankes shows a red card
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Malo Gusto tried to scuff penalty spot after Marc Cucurella red card
After Chelsea were handed the blow of Cucurella departing, things could actually have got worse as VAR checked to see whether Fulham should be awarded a penalty as well.
Plenty of Blues players argued their case. Three of them were booked for dissent in the aftermath of the big refereeing call.
While this was ongoing, Malo Gusto was trying his best to give Robert Sanchez an advantage by scuffing up the penalty spot while the attention was elsewhere.
It ended up being given as a free-kick, only delaying Chelsea conceding the first goal until early in the second half.
Gusto is one of the Blues players who has also been sent off at a stage this season, angering Enzo Maresca with an unnecessary red card against Nottingham Forest.
Manchester City v Chelsea - Premier League
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Rosenior inheriting mass discipline issue
Cucurella’s dismissal made it five red cards for the season, with the majority of them having a massive impact on games they have occurred in.
Marc Cucurella’s red card vs Fulham was Chelsea’s fifth in the Premier League this season! 🔴
How does Liam Rosenior solve Chelsea's disciplinary problem?
Chelsea players to have been sent off:
Marc Cucurella
Moises Caicedo
Malo Gusto
Trevoh Chalobah
Robert Sanchez
Referee Peter Bankes shows a red card
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
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Sanchez’s early red card cost them any chance at breaking their Old Trafford hoodoo, although Maresca’s bizarre reaction to that decision also didn’t help.
Rosenior’s main priority upon taking over at Stamford Bridge has to be putting an end to the woeful discipline record at the club, which is costing Chelsea far too many points.
The race for Champions League football is still more than on for the Blues, but having 11 players on the pitch is going to be essential to reaching this goal.
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