Chelsea travel to Hull City in the FA Cup as head coach Liam Rosenior returns to familiar surroundings
Tom Phillips
18:24, 13 Feb 2026
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Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior (Image: PA Wire.)
Following the disappointment against Leeds United, Liam Rosenior must quickly shift focus as his Chelsea team prepare for a return to familiar ground, taking on former club Hull City in Friday’s FA Cup fourth-round clash at the MKM Stadium.
It has been less than two years since Rosenior departed Hull in May 2024, and he will be keen to make a winning return, especially as Chelsea look to avoid another premature cup exit after last season’s fourth-round defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Hull City, on the other hand, face a daunting challenge given their poor record against Chelsea. The Tigers have not beaten the Blues since a 3-0 victory back in 1988 in the old second division. Since then, Hull have managed just two draws in 16 meetings and currently find themselves on an eight-match losing streak against Chelsea, including consecutive cup exits in February 2018 and January 2020.
Under Sergej Jakirovic, Hull are in the hunt for a Championship playoff place and will be hoping to cause an upset against their former boss. Although they enjoyed a run of four straight wins following their penalty shootout victory over Blackburn Rovers, recent home results—a goalless draw with Watford and a 3-2 defeat to Bristol City—have dented their momentum ahead of Chelsea’s visit.
Still, as 2014 FA Cup finalists, Hull are determined to make the most of their first fourth-round appearance since 2020, when they were also eliminated by Chelsea, as they aim to reach the fifth round for the first time since 2018.
Standing in their way is a Chelsea side now managed by Rosenior, who narrowly missed out on guiding Hull to the playoffs in the 2023-24 season before moving on. Since then, Rosenior’s coaching career has gone from strength to strength, with a successful spell at Strasbourg leading to his current role in West London.
Despite being held to a 2-2 draw by Leeds on Tuesday, Rosenior’s start at Chelsea has been largely positive, with the Blues winning seven of their last ten matches across all competitions. However, last season’s early FA Cup exit to Brighton still looms large, highlighting the club’s recent struggles in the competition. After reaching three consecutive finals between 2020 and 2022, Chelsea have since suffered early eliminations to Manchester City and Brighton, with only a semifinal appearance in 2023-24 breaking the trend. A deep cup run this year would certainly be welcomed by the club’s supporters.
Hull City vs ChelseaBetting Tips
Both teams to score - 87/100 ( Betfred )
Bukayo Saka to score/assist anytime - 11/10 ( Betfred )
Kylian Mbappe to score anytime - 19/10 ( Betfred )
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