Chelsea travel to the Amex Stadium tonight for a Premier League fixture that has become as much about managerial futures as it is about points, with Liam Rosenior knowing another scoreless defeat would intensify calls for a summer change that already have significant momentum.
The Blues have gone four consecutive league games without scoring a goal, the first time that has happened to Chelsea in 114 years, and sit seven points behind Liverpool in the race for Champions League qualification.
Reports from Football Insider describe Rosenior’s position as “bleak” and state he is “unlikely” to be in charge at the start of next season, while Diego Simeone has emerged as the bookmakers’ favourite to replace him this summer.
Glenn Hoddle told Premier League Productions that he expects the club to give Rosenior until the end of the season but added that “he’s got to finish on a high note, he’s got to get some wins under his belt.”
Co-owner Behdad Eghbali’s recent statement that the club’s policy is “no in-season managerial changes” was widely read as preparation for a summer announcement rather than genuine support for the current manager.
Brighton arrive tonight in sharp contrast, having won three of their last four games and sitting just one point behind Chelsea in tenth, which makes this a direct six-pointer in the European qualification race.
Danny Welbeck, who scored twice against Chelsea earlier this season coming off the bench in just 23 minutes, is a threat Rosenior knows well given his own history at the Amex Stadium as a former player.
Chelsea are without Levi Colwill, Reece James and Mykhaylo Mudryk, further limiting their options in what is already a squad that has looked tactically and psychologically fragile for the past month.
Estêvão is a doubt after picking up a hamstring scare in the defeat to Manchester United last Saturday, which would deprive Chelsea of one of their few genuine sources of attacking unpredictability.
A win tonight would not solve Chelsea’s problems but would keep the Champions League race technically alive and buy Rosenior at least a degree of breathing room ahead of the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds at Wembley on Sunday.
