ARSENAL SHOWDOWN: PEDRO NETO ISSUES BOLD TROPHY WARNING AHEAD OF NORTH LONDON DERBY
From Maresca to Rosenior: Explore how Chelsea climbed to 6th and why Pedro Neto is convinced silverware is coming this season.
Pedro Neto isn’t hiding his ambition at Chelsea under new boss Liam Rosenior. The Portuguese winger has set the bar high for himself and the team; he’s convinced they can do something special now that Rosenior’s at the helm. Rosenior’s start at Stamford Bridge has definitely caught people’s attention, and Neto wants to keep that momentum rolling.
When Rosenior landed the job earlier this year, not everyone was on board. Swapping out the well-liked Enzo Maresca for a coach from another BlueCo club got some people talking. But Rosenior has answered his doubters, stringing together some solid results that show he belongs in the Premier League.
Since taking charge in January, Rosenior has led Chelsea through 12 matches. The results? Eight wins, two draws, two losses. He’s also made an impact on players like Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, helping them rediscover their scoring touch.
Right now, Chelsea sits sixth in the table, just three points behind Liverpool and Manchester United. Along with Aston Villa, these four teams are fighting for three Champions League spots. Chelsea still has ground to make up, so they need to keep their strong run going over the final 11 games.
This weekend brings another big test as Chelsea head to north London to face Arsenal. Rosenior’s two defeats so far have both come against Mikel Arteta’s side in the Carabao Cup semi-final, so this Premier League meeting is set to be his toughest challenge yet.
Even with Arsenal looming, Neto isn’t backing down. He wants Chelsea to finish the season on a high note and, with Rosenior, believes they can make it happen. Neto’s even got his eye on picking up some silverware before the summer.
Talking to Chelsea’s media team, Neto spelt out his goals: he’s aiming to improve on last year and push for everything possible with both club and country. “The club aims to win as many trophies as possible,” he said. “We’re still in the FA Cup and the Champions League. The league title’s a bit out of reach, but getting into the Champions League is a must. We know what we want: to win trophies. That’s how we want to end the season.”
Neto’s already tasted success since moving from Wolves, picking up the Conference League and Club World Cup with Chelsea. That’s why he came to win. But he admits the job isn’t done yet. “I joined this club to win, as we did in my first season. That was incredible. This year, there’s still a long way to go and plenty to fight for. Expectations are high. At a club like Chelsea, that comes with even more responsibility.”
On Sunday, Arsenal will be waiting, riding high after thrashing Tottenham 4-1 last weekend. The Gunners are pushing hard for their first league title since 2004, and Viktor Gyokeres is in great form; he scored against Chelsea in the League Cup and will be looking to add to his tally. It’s a huge test for Rosenior and his squad, but Neto and Chelsea are determined to rise to the challenge.
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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