The first half of Chelsea’s Premier League campaign did not go to plan and ended terribly.
In total, Chelsea won just one game in December, a 2-0 win against Everton, and their January has not been any better.
They have drawn 1-1 with Manchester City, which is not a terrible result, but later went on to lose 2-1 to Fulham.
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Chelsea midfielder targets
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Even so, the club’s expectations have not decreased, and that has been made clear to Liam Rosenior.
Head Coach Liam Rosenior of Chelsea during a media interview
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Liam Rosenior told he must achieve Champions League qualification
Following that awful run in December, Chelsea dropped out of the top four. However, Rosenior has been told that he still needs to secure Champions League qualification, journalist Matt Law has revealed.
Speaking on the London Is Blue podcast, Law said: “I think the biggest challenge actually is, I’m going to really simplify it. The biggest challenge short term is actually just Champions League qualification, because I’ve been told, and I checked this on his appointment, you know, do goals change? Do expectations change?
“Does he get greater leeway because he’s come in? No, it was described to me that the Champions League qualification is absolutely critical. That’s the word that was used, critical. And that is not going to be easy. That would not be easy for any manager coming in now, or any manager in charge.”
While it is not a priority, Rosenior also has the opportunity to win a cup this season. Chelsea have reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals, taking on Arsenal in the tie’s first leg on Wednesday night.
What does Liam Rosenior need to do to overturn Enzo Maresca’s Arsenal curse?👀
The Gunners are nine games unbeaten 😬
Enzo Maresca's record vs Arsenal
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The Blues have made it to the fourth round of the FA Cup as well after beating Charlton Athletic 5-1. They have been drawn against Hull City in a fixture that brings a couple of big storylines with it.
Rosenior will be returning to Hull, where he spent time as both a manager and player. Liam Delap is also a former Hull star after joining the Championship club on loan back in the 2023/24 season.
Head Coach Liam Rosenior of Chelsea during a training session
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Chelsea could face shootout with Liverpool for final spot in top four
There is a lot of football to play between now and May, but it looks like the top three spots in the Premier League table are already gone. Arsenal and Manchester City will definitely finish in the top four, and it would have to take some collapse for Villa to drop out.
Unai Emery’s side are 10 points above fifth and 12 above Chelsea in eighth. It means Chelsea face a potential fight with Liverpool to claim the final Champions League place.
The Reds are just four points above their Premier League rivals, but if they can find some consistency, that gap will only increase if Chelsea do not get their act together.
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