Chelsea have sacked Liam Rosenior after just 23 games, which means they will head to Anfield to face Liverpool next month with an interim head coach.
Rosenior’s dismissal was announced on Wednesday evening, with the 41-year-old departing after five losses in a row in the Premier League.
He won just 10 times in 23 games in all competitions, with two draws and 10 losses underlining a bizarre decision to replace Enzo Maresca with the former Strasbourg manager.
Chelsea have already confirmed that Calum McFarlane will resume duties as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Chelsea interim head coach Calum McFarlane salutes the fans after the game (Martin Rickett/PA)
McFarlane took interim charge following Maresca’s sacking in January, stepping up from his role as U21s coach, before being appointed as Rosenior’s full-time assistant.
He will oversee the four games of the Premier League as well as Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Leeds – with his third game in charge being a trip to Liverpool on May 9.
While in the dugout between Maresca and Rosenior’s stints, McFarlane earned a 1-1 draw with Man City before suffering a 2-1 defeat away to Fulham.
He has never faced Liverpool before even in his previous roles in charge of Southampton U18s and U21s or later Chelsea U21s.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 19, 2024: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot (L) and Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
When Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1 back in October it was Maresca in the dugout.
It is a desperate decision from Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali with the club needing to qualify for next season’s Champions League in a bid to avoid financial ruin due to UEFA sanctions.
McFarlane therefore has an unenviable task, not helped by the fact they face one of their direct rivals for a top-five finish in Liverpool.
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 24, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot (L) and Bournemouth's manager Andoni Iraola before the FA Premier League match between Bournemouth AFC and Liverpool FC at Dean Court. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Per BBC Sport, Bournemouth‘s Andoni Iraola, Fulham‘s Marco Silva and ex-Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic are early candidates to take the Chelsea job in the summer – at which point all three would be free agents.
Opta Analyst‘s prediction model has Chelsea on course to finish ninth in this season’s Premier League, which would mean their only route to European football would be winning the FA Cup.
Liverpool are currently predicted to finish fifth, which would guarantee a place in the Champions League next season.