Chelsea

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game against Brighton at the Amex Stadium (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Rosenior confirmed Estevao Willian will definitely miss the game with a hamstring problem picked up in Saturday's defeat by Manchester United, while a "late call" will be made on Joao Pedro's inclusion after missing that game but Enzo Fernandez is "absolutely fine".

• He is optimistic Levi Colwill can feature before the end of the season as he continues to recover from his ACL injury: "Very hopefully, yes, to see him before the end of the season. We want him to be involved in the next game with the under-21s on Saturday."

• Rosenior was asked about Wesley Fofana's frustrated reaction to being substituted against the Red Devils: "Wes is very emotional in a good way. I love him as a guy. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He's disappointed. He could've shown his emotion in a better way. The optics on that is not the reality. Wes apologised."

• On the Blues' poor form and how it has affected their Champions League qualification chances: "We've made it very difficult for ourselves. What we can't do is give up, we have to keep fighting. As a coach, you have to work to the data and the process. In this moment, we need to win. This is the fundamental and what this club demands. The most important statistic is the result. If you want to win games, you have to keep clean sheets. What disappointed me is the goals we've conceded."

• Rosenior said Moises Caicedo is "somebody who leads by example" after he kept the armband on Saturday in the absence of Reece James despite Fernandez's return.

• On the Seagulls: "I watched it [Saturday's 2-2 draw at Spurs] live before our game and many other games. Fabian [Hurzeler] is doing a fantastic job. It's a club built for consistency. They're going to be a difficult team to play against. We have to make sure that we keep the back door shut and give ourselves a chance by scoring the first goal in a game."

• On the importance of getting back to winning ways: "It's about our standards and performances. We have to arrest this run of form. We haven't won enough games. We have to focus on the game tomorrow and winning games of football. We have to win. That's what the fans expect. You can't speak about the long-term. Now is the time for us to deliver. That's what we have to work towards."

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Chelsea and Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

Chelsea fans

Evan: To be fair I thought Chelsea played quite well throughout and were the better team but when you can't score a goal this is what happens. A big change needs to be done at this club as four Premier League losses in a row without scoring is unacceptable. Too much of a step up from Strasbourg to Chelsea for Rosenior.

Colin: Absolutely abysmal. I am actually thinking as a Chelsea supporter that I want Leeds to win next week in the semi final as I don't want the embarrassment of getting thrashed by Man City in the final as that is what will happen if we get through. We have already lost the last three cup finals.

Chris: When are the owners going to stop this failed experiment with Rosenior, who only seems capable of coaching a team to go sideways or backwards, slowly?! I don't know what it would cost but they need to get Iraola from Bournemouth asap, before another forward thinking, ambitious club grabs him for next season! We will go absolutely nowhere with Rosenior!

Keith: A shambles and an absolute shambles. This club is going nowhere under this ownership and management. Some 64 years I've supported Chelsea and I have never seen so much disconnection between the team and supporters

United fans

Jerry: Mainoo's recall to the squad provided a much needed stability. Ayden was so solid at the back - begging the question why Yoro is preferred over him. Bruno Fernandes is magical as always but united have to not only rely on him to create chances. Why is Benjamin Sesko preferred at the front when he can't hold onto the ball as a lone striker? The trio of Mbeumo, Amad and Cunha attacking is much more ruthless with Fernandes supporting them. Ugarte should be sold off. The performance was solid and disciplined. Everyone kept their places and defended solidly.

Stewart: Ground it out and took their chance. Great team performance capped by Mainoo and Heaven - such composure and maturity while so young. Dalot can take Garnacho out of his pocket now.

Ayaz: It was indeed a great win even though it wasn't the best performance I have seen from Manchester United this season. The first half wasn't really the best but Cunha's goal was excellent and Fernandes' assist was really good too. Second half was better but there was close attempts from Chelsea hitting the crossbar twice.

Bob: I have no idea what match most supporters and journalists watched, but the one I saw was United grimly hanging on throughout the game against a very, very average Chelsea. The standout was Heaven - well done lad!

Tottenham's Sweden midfielder Lucas Bergvall, 20, is being monitored by several clubs, with Arsenal and Chelsea interested. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

There were chants of "we want our Chelsea back" during a protest march before kick-off - then the chorus spread to the stands during the second half of the defeat by Manchester United.

The frustration from supporters is understandable, given Chelsea have now lost their past four Premier League games without scoring - their joint-longest run since November 1912.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior admitted his side face a "mountain to climb" in their pursuit of Champions League qualification, after the latest 1-0 loss to United left them four points off the top five, having played a game more.

Failure to qualify would be viewed internally as a disappointment, with the club at risk of falling short of the minimum target set before the season under former head coach Enzo Maresca.

Missing out would mean a loss of key revenue and prestige, and would mark the third time in four seasons Chelsea have failed to qualify since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover in 2022.

There is anger directed at Rosenior, but many Chelsea supporters also point the finger at Eghbali, Boehly and the rest of the BlueCo ownership.

The latest protest saw supporters march from The Wolfpack Inn pub to Stamford Bridge before kick-off, having grown from a turnout of about 200 before the Brentford match to more than 500 before Saturday's tie.

There were flares, banners and chants directed at the owners, as well as calls in support of former owner Abramovich.

Under the terms of the takeover agreement in 2022, the current ownership group cannot sell the club until at least 2032. However, there are signs they are willing to listen to some of the criticism, including calls to recruit more experienced players.

"We recognise we need balance. You tweak a model, you improve and you learn from mistakes," Eghbali said. "We have a strong core, but we need to add experience to take the team to the next level and achieve consistency. That is not lost on us."

However, failure to qualify for the Champions League would undermine any rebuild. Chelsea have already spent about £1.5bn on signings under the current ownership and, despite recouping approximately £750m in sales, they remain under financial scrutiny from Uefa, having faced fines for breaching their regulations.

While the protest movement has largely been driven by younger supporters, there are signs of apathy among older match-going fans. Boos were heard at full-time, with the atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge growing quieter with each game.

Read more on Chelsea and Rosenior's struggles

Pundits Ashley Williams and Joe Hart join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Leeds 3-0 Wolves

• Newcastle 1-2 Bournemouth

• Tottenham 2-2 Brighton

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior to Match of the Day on how difficult the result was: "It is so difficult. Today they had one shot on target while we were down to 10 men. We had wave after wave of attack and hit the woodwork, I think, four times. I don't want my team to feel things are against us. We have to keep fighting."

On the goal: "We have to defend that moment better. We don't and we get punished. At the moment, any small mistake we are making, and the ball ends up in the back of our net and that has to change.

"It is about results, and we haven't got a result today we should have. "The small things add up, but we have to keep working hard."

On whether he feels under pressure: "No. I put myself under the most pressure. We just have to keep working with the staff and the players to turn things around."

On whether Chelsea can finish in the top five: "Of course."

Did you know?

• Chelsea have lost, and failed to score, in each of their last four league games, only in November 1912 have the Blues ever endured a longer run in their league history (5 games).

• Chelsea have lost four successive Premier League games for the first time since May 2023, while they've failed to score in four consecutive league matches for the first time since September 2007.

Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea went into the match after another protest against the club's ownership, with more than 500 supporters chanting against the regime as they marched alongside fans of French club Strasbourg, part of the same multi-club group.

On the pitch, Chelsea started brightly but soon ran into an increasing problem: scoring goals.

This latest defeat means it has been almost six and a half hours since Chelsea last scored, in the 4-1 win at Aston Villa.

In the Premier League, Chelsea have lost five of their past six games, have not won at home in five matches and have won only one of their past eight matches.

It is their sixth home defeat in the league this season, including three in a row, and only in 1994-95 have they lost more games at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have failed to score in each of their past four defeats, their joint longest such barren run since 1912.

Regular starting striker Joao Pedro was ruled out before kick-off with a minor quadriceps injury, while Estevao being forced off compounded the difficulty.

Those called upon have struggled for form, and again failed to deliver in what was close to a must-win match for Chelsea if they were to maintain realistic hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Substitute striker Liam Delap extended his goal drought to 20 games, winger Pedro Neto is without a goal in nine matches across all competitions, Cole Palmer has now gone seven games without scoring, and Estevao's effort against League Two Port Vale two games ago remains his only recent goal. The teenager has not scored in the league since January.

His replacement, summer signing Alejandro Garnacho, who arrived from United for £40m, has not scored a league goal since October.

As well as the three efforts that hit the woodwork, Enzo Fernandez and Palmer wasted presentable chances.

What was once Chelsea's main strength - scoring goals - has become their biggest weakness at the most critical stage of the season.

There remains criticism of the club's goalkeepers and the quality of their defensive options, and questions about how the season has come to a halt when Liam Rosenior has had free midweeks to improve the club's fortunes on the pitch.

However, most of the anger has been directed at the ownership, despite co-owner Behdad Eghbali saying in a rare interview this week that mistakes had been made in recruitment and that more experience may be needed in the league's youngest squad.

Even star midfielder Moises Caicedo renewing his contract cannot detract from a bleak picture at Stamford Bridge.

Those chants of "we want our Chelsea back" went from the streets outside the stadium into the stands during the second half, and the team were booed off at the final whistle.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Chelsea's performance

What did you make of United's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez returns to Liam Rosenior's line-up after a two-match suspension, although Moises Caicedo is named captain. Andrey Santos drops to the bench.

Liam Delap starts up front, with Joao Pedro missing out completely.

Defender Trevoh Chalobah is named on the bench, a month since his last Chelsea appearance, against PSG in the Champions League.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Hato, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Estevao, Palmer, Pedro Neto, Delap.

Substitutes: Sharman-Lowe, Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo, Santos, Chalobah, Acheampong, Guiu, Lavia, Garnacho.

Nineteen-year-old Ayden Heaven starts for the first time under Michael Carrick. With Leny Yoro absent, Matthijs de Ligt injured and Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez suspended, Heaven is Michael Carrick's only available recognised central defender.

Kobbie Mainoo and Bryan Mbeumo return as Manuel Ugarte and Amad Diallo drop to the bench.

Eighteen-year-old Jim Thwaites, who played the full 90 minutes and extra-time in United's FA Youth Cup semi-final victory over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford last night is on the bench for the first time.

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Dalot, Mazraoui, Heaven, Shaw, Casemiro, Mainoo, Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha, Sesko.

Substitutes: Bayindir, Mount, Zirkzee, Malacia, Amad, Ugarte, T Fletcher, Lacey, Thwaites.

The way Manchester United played against Leeds was like watching the United of old.

Sadly for Michael Carrick, by "old" I mean Ruben Amorim's era, not Sir Alex Ferguson's. United had just had 24 days off, but they were as flat as anything.

This is a bit of a "flat-off", though, because Chelsea are in such poor form too.

I fear for their boss Liam Rosenior after their run of results and also because of his decision to drop Enzo Fernandez against Manchester City.

I can't get that out of my head. Why wouldn't you want one of your best players to play in a big game like that?

Rosenior needs to secure Champions League football and he has got a lot of work to do to get there. I don't fancy his side at the back but if United are as flat again, I can see Chelsea getting back on track - but only just.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

There are five games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Brentford v Fulham (12:30)

• Leeds v Wolves (15:00) - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Newcastle v Bournemouth (15:00)

• Tottenham v Brighton (17:30) - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Chelsea v Man Utd (20:00)

Kick-off 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Leeds v Wolves" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Tottenham v Brighton", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Chris Adams
BBC Sport journalist

Chelsea host Manchester United in the Saturday evening kick-off (20:00 BST) in a game that could go a long way to deciding who earns a Champions League place.

Rosenior on the ropes?

The Blues' form has nosedived in recent weeks, with just one win in their last seven Premier League matches, four of which have resulted in defeat.

In fact, both of their most recent wins have come in the FA Cup, against Championship side Wrexham and League One relegation candidates Port Vale.

Add an 8-2 aggregate hammering at the hands of Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain into the mix and head coach Liam Rosenior finds himself under serious scrutiny just three months into the job.

Rosenior acted decisively in banning Enzo Fernandez for two games following comments the Argentina midfielder made in an interview about the possibility of a move to Spain.

Whether the Stamford Bridge faithful agreed with that internal decision or not, one thing that's inescapable is the creative threat Fernandez brings to the table.

Sixth-placed Chelsea have failed to score in their last three league games, a run of 345 minutes without a goal. They haven't gone four top-flight games without finding the net since September 2007 under Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant.

The west London side are looking to arrest a run of three league defeats – only once this century have they lost four games in a row, doing so in April-May 2023 when Frank Lampard was at the helm.

Decisions in defence for Carrick

While he's not struggling to the same extent as his opposite number, Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick suffered the biggest setback of his Old Trafford managerial career in Monday night's 2-1 defeat to Leeds United.

The first half performance, in particular, will be a major worry for Carrick as Lisandro Martinez and Leny Yoro – starting a league game together as a centre-back duo for the first time – struggled to cope with Dominic Calvert-Lewin's physicality and hold-up play.

Martinez was subsequently sent off for violent conduct after tugging Calvert-Lewin's hair, meaning he is likely to miss the next three games of the run-in.

Coupled with the absence of Harry Maguire, who has received an additional one-match ban for swearing at an official following his red card at Bournemouth last month, and the injured Matthijs de Ligt, Carrick finds himself with a defensive headache.

That could mean an untried pairing of Yoro, 20, and Ayden Heaven, 19, not ideal when you consider United have kept just one clean sheet in their last 21 league away matches.

The Red Devils have won just one of their last four matches but remain third in the table as the battle for the Champions League spots reaches its crescendo. Both teams had a different head coach when United took the spoils with a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in September.

Only Bournemouth and Leeds United have drawn more league games than United's 10 this season and this is a fixture that often has little to separate the sides. Chelsea versus Manchester United has ended in a draw more often than any other match-up in Premier League history – some 27 times.

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea co‑owner Behdad Eghbali changed his tone at CAA's World Congress of Sports event in Los Angeles, addressing mistakes made, acknowledging fan anger and admitting changes needed to be made to their recruitment model.

Regret and humility were features of the conference appearance, which sources say had been in place since the autumn and was not a response to Chelsea Supporters' Trust's open letter or the Not A Project FC group.

However, despite Chelsea's form declining and renewed criticism of the BlueCo project, Eghbali made a rare public appearance to address mistakes and the need for change by reiterating that their desire is to "win" as point one, two and three.

• "There is a plan. We reflect on the plan. We try to improve the plan and tweak the plan if it's not working. The message is we're committed. Can this be successful without winning? The answer is no. We've got to win," Eghbali said.

• Winning the Conference League was described as a "nice stepping stone", the Club World Cup win was acknowledged as success in a month-long competition and a "nice milestone and great for the fans and squad" but added we hope to repeat that "more consistently".

• The co-founder of majority owners Clearlake Capital added Enzo Maresca's mid-season departure was unplanned, explaining: "Getting that stability on the manager side is one of the things we haven't done right yet."

• He noted the decision to sack Thomas Tuchel in 2022 "didn't work out so well".

• On current head coach Liam Rosenior's future, he continued: "I think we're behind Liam. Of course, it's a results business, but we think he can be successful long term."

• On their recruitment, which has been questioned by fans and pundits, he admitted: "I think we've done a few things right, a lot of things right. We've got to be better on a few things, to add more ready-made players at this part of the project, to take (it ) to the next level, to be consistent over time. We recognise we need balance. You tweak a model, you improve, you learn from mistakes."

• Adding: "We do have a core (of) good players, global players. Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Levi Colwill, Estevao Willian, Reece James. The view is now that we're here with a great core base, to add some of that experience, to take the team to the next level and have consistency. That fact is not lost on us."

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Enzo Fernandez returns for Chelsea this weekend, but questions remain over his future at the London club.

The Argentina midfielder, 25, gave three interviews while away with his national side, referring to his desire to one day live in Spain's capital, having been heavily linked with Spanish giants Real Madrid.

That led to a two-match internal ban, jointly decided by head coach Liam Rosenior and the club hierarchy. The suspension has now ended, although not before attempts by Fernandez's agent, Javier Pastore, to have it reduced by a game.

Chelsea's attempts to move on from the episode involving their number eight reflect a desire to steady the situation at an early stage.

Fernandez has 12 goals and six assists this season, placing him behind only striker Joao Pedro for goal involvements, in 46 appearances. He remains regarded internally as a marquee player, with Rosenior offering public praise even while enforcing the ban.

It may be a rational short-term approach, but the longer-term solution is more straightforward: money.

Either Chelsea offer Fernandez a new contract or he attempts to force a move.

"He deserves much more than he is currently earning," Pastore said in a lengthy interview with The Athletic during the international break.

Fernandez is among several players seeking improved terms at Stamford Bridge, alongside Levi Colwill and Malo Gusto, with midfielder Moises Caicedo agreeing a lucrative new deal on Thursday.

Chelsea are hopeful of agreeing one or two more deals before the end of the season.

However, with contract talks on hold until the summer, according to Fernandez's entourage, the alternative scenario is more problematic.

Chelsea sources indicate it would take a substantial fee - close to the club record sale that saw Eden Hazard join Real Madrid in 2019 for an initial £88m rising to £130m in add-ons - for any deal to be considered.

That valuation reflects not only Fernandez's importance on the pitch, but also financial necessity.

In Fernandez's case, Chelsea would need to secure a fee of at least £75m–£77.6m - depending on the timing of a sale - to avoid recording a loss, which would further restrict future spending.

With Fernandez's camp having demonstrated a willingness to take an assertive stance, and the backdrop of a World Cup providing further opportunity to shape the narrative, failure to reach a new agreement would represent a growing concern - despite Rosenior's attempts to project confidence.

Read more on Fernandez and Chelsea's finances

Image source, Getty Images

Moises Caicedo says his "dream" is to become a "Chelsea legend" after extending his contract until 2033.

The 24-year-old, signed for in excess of £100m with bonuses in 2023, has already won the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup with the Blues.

His now-confirmed new contract - which BBC Sport reported on Thursday - has added two years to his initial deal.

"I am so happy to have extended my contract at Chelsea," Caicedo said. "I believe in this team, this club and I know we're going in the right direction. We've only just begun together.

"There is still a lot more to achieve, and I'm very hungry to keep improving every day. I want to win more trophies with Chelsea and give everything for this club and for the fans.

"We have enjoyed some great times together already and my dream is to become a Chelsea legend, and I will work as hard as possible to make that happen."

BBC Sport broke news of Caicedo's deal on Thursday and you can read fan reaction a little lower on this page.

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea and Strasbourg, which are both owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, have measures in place should they qualify for the same European competition.

According to public documents, board-level changes have been made at the French club, while senior sources have confirmed that a "blind trust" structure – commonly used to meet multi‑club ownership rules in European football – was put in place before Uefa's compliance deadline to ensure the clubs meet regulations.

The Uefa Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) would ultimately decide in the summer whether those changes satisfy its requirements. Under Uefa rules, if a club is excluded from European competition due to non‑compliance, it would be the team that finishes lower in its domestic league.

If Chelsea and Strasbourg were to qualify for the same European competition, the two clubs would also be prevented from conducting transfer business between each other during the 2026‑27 season, having completed 12 deals between them this campaign.

Chelsea's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League have faded following three consecutive Premier League defeats. They currently sit sixth, four points off the top five, and risk ending up in the Europa League next season.

Strasbourg, meanwhile, have three potential routes into the Europa League. The French side could qualify through a top‑five or top‑six Ligue 1 finish, or by winning either the Coupe de France or the Conference League, having reached the semi‑finals of both competitions.

There is also a scenario in which both clubs qualify for the Conference League, while Strasbourg's chances of reaching the Champions League remain mathematically possible but unlikely.

Speaking at CAA's World Congress of Sports event in Los Angeles, Chelsea co‑owner Behdad Eghbali said he believed regulatory reform was needed to allow further investment within multi‑club ownership structures.

"We do think there needs to be more regulatory reform to enable multi‑club ownership," Eghbali was quoted as saying by Sports Business Journal.