JORREL HATO, MARC GUIU, AND ESTEVAO: CHELSEA’S WONDERKIDS SHINE IN ROSENIOR’S FIRST WINNING XI
19-year-old Jorrel Hato scored a stunner as Chelsea’s next generation proved they are ready for the big stage under Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea’s first game under Liam Rosenior wasn’t packed with big expectations—just a lot of curiosity. But by the time the crowd filed out of a sold-out Valley, things felt a lot more certain. Chelsea had put together a confident, sometimes lively 4-1 win over Charlton in the FA Cup, showing off their depth, their young talent, and a sense of quiet control from the sidelines.
Charlton, up for the challenge in front of their home fans, tried to make a game of it early on. Both Lloyd Jones and Tyreece Campbell kept Chelsea’s defence honest with a couple of hopeful shots, and for a moment, you could almost believe in an upset. But Chelsea settled in, started moving the ball around with purpose, and kept pushing Charlton further and further back.
It took five tries before Chelsea finally broke through. Just before halftime, Jorrel Hato pounced when Keenan Gough couldn’t clear the ball and smashed a half volley right into the top corner. Not a bad way for a 19-year-old to score his first goal for the club—he looked like he’d done it a hundred times before.
After the break, Chelsea shifted gears. Only five minutes into the second half, Tosin Adarabioyo doubled the lead with a smart header from Facundo Buonanotte’s deep free kick, showing Chelsea’s strength in the air.
Charlton had a couple more moments—Jones sent a header wide, and Charlie Kelman nearly scored but got blocked at the last second. Then Miles Leaburn managed to pull one back from a corner after Filip Jorgensen’s brilliant save. For a minute, the place buzzed again.
But Chelsea shut that down fast. Marc Guiu tapped in from close range to make it 3-1, and you could feel the energy just drain from the home crowd.
The last part of the match turned into a showcase for Chelsea’s squad. Enzo Fernandez, Estevao Willian, and Liam Delap all threatened, and then Pedro Neto blasted in a fourth goal during stoppage time. Fernandez wrapped things up from the penalty spot after Estevao was fouled—4-1, job done.
Cole Palmer didn’t even play; he was kept fresh for the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal. That move spoke to Rosenior’s calm planning—he didn’t look rattled by the protest songs from the stands either. He just quietly steered Chelsea into the next round.
Charlton could walk away proud for a few moments. Chelsea, though, walked away with something more solid: the start of something that feels steady and real, not just noise.
XAVI OPENLY DECLARES INTEREST IN CHELSEA JOB DURING PERMANENT MANAGER SEARCH
With Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola on the shortlist, explore why Xavi Hernández wants to take over the Chelsea hotseat next.
Xavi has openly said he’d love to manage Chelsea, and now the Blues are hunting for someone to replace Liam Rosenior.
Rosenior got the sack last month after a rough patch just three months into his huge contract that was supposed to last six and a half years. Calum McFarlane is filling in as interim head coach until season’s end, but Chelsea are actively looking for a permanent boss for the 2026/27 campaign.
They're considering some big names. Xabi Alonso’s been mentioned; he’s been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in January. Andoni Iraola, who’s about to leave Bournemouth, is also on the shortlist.
Cesc Fabregas has been linked after his strong run at Como, and Frank Lampard’s in the mix too, fresh off winning the Championship with Coventry and securing promotion.
But Xavi really stands out. He’s already made it clear he’s interested in the Chelsea job. Back in 2019, before his Barcelona return, he said, “I don’t hide it; my goal is to come back to Europe and to Barca. It's my challenge, but I’m enjoying this current project. For me, training a team in Barcelona would be a privilege, the biggest privilege.”
He didn’t just talk about Spain either. “Honestly, who doesn’t love the Premier League? The atmosphere, packed stadiums, everyone says it’s incredible,” Xavi admitted. “If I had to pick, I’d go for a big team: City, United, Chelsea, Arsenal, or Tottenham. Klopp, Pochettino, and Unai Emery are doing amazing work there.”
After returning to Barcelona in 2021, Xavi led them to a La Liga title and the Supercopa de España before Hansi Flick took over in 2024. He’s been out of work since.
Now, Chelsea seems seriously interested in the Spaniard. According to The i, the club wants someone who can embed a strong football identity across their teams, something Enzo Maresca started.
Getting Xavi won’t be easy, though. Morocco’s national team reportedly sees him as a top candidate to replace Walid Regragui, and Manchester United is eyeing him too as they weigh options beyond Michael Carrick.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso is the bookmakers’ favourite for the Chelsea role, but word is he’d want more control over club decisions if he moves to west London.
COLE PALMER MISSES PENALTY AS CHELSEA SUFFER HISTORIC SIXTH CONSECUTIVE LEAGUE DEFEAT
Chelsea matched a 1912 record with their 6th straight loss, falling 3-1 to Forest as Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice at the Bridge.
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Chelsea hit rock bottom again, losing 3-1 to Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge. That’s six Premier League defeats in a row now, something the club hadn’t seen since 1912. Just when you thought the season couldn’t get any worse, Forest showed up with a makeshift lineup and absolutely stunned them. Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice, one barely a minute into the match, and then Igor Jesus put away a penalty, and suddenly Forest was six points clear of the drop zone.
Chelsea hadn’t scored in five games, and it looked like that streak would go on forever. Then, in stoppage time, Joao Pedro finally managed an overhead kick to break the drought. That run was made even more ridiculous earlier when Cole Palmer missed a first-half penalty. Matz Sels, Forest’s backup goalkeeper, saved it.
Honestly, the crowd in the Shed End probably barely recognised their own team. Pereira swapped in seven new outfield players, most of them with almost no league experience; he was clearly thinking about the upcoming Europa League semi-final. But it looked like Chelsea was the stranger out there.
Things only got worse for interim head coach Calum McFarlane. He lost Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho to late injuries, so 18-year-old Jesse Derry had to make his Premier League debut. Then, late in the first half, Derry collided heads with Forest’s Zach Abbott and had to be stretchered off after getting oxygen. It was brutal to watch.
The match itself? Chaos. Less than two minutes in, Chelsea messed up their own throw-in and let Forest stroll through midfield. Dilane Bakwa beat Marc Cucurella with little effort and crossed to Awoniyi, who was completely unmarked and headed it in.
Fifteen minutes later, Chelsea conceded again. Bakwa whipped in another cross; Malo Gusto pulled Awoniyi’s shirt, and VAR handed Forest a penalty. Jesus hammered it right down the middle.
The first half was hopeless, and by the end, serious concern set in after that nasty head clash between Derry and Abbott. Abbott, playing just his second league game, left on his own, but Derry needed serious treatment and was stretchered off.
After a nearly ten-minute stoppage, Palmer’s penalty was stopped by Sels. At halftime, Levi Colwill returned from a major injury he hadn’t played since tearing his ACL in August. He tried to restore order, but nothing changed.
Forest’s third goal came just seven minutes into the second half. Gibbs-White crossed, and Awoniyi tapped in from close range, just managing to stay onside. Chelsea’s keeper, Robert Sanchez, took a knock and left with a bandaged head after colliding with Gibbs-White.
Pedro’s late goal barely counted for anything. The few Chelsea fans left in the stadium cheered, but it was more out of irony than joy.
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