Chelsea have sacked head coach Liam Rosenior following the club’s damaging 3-0 defeat at Brighton on Tuesday.
The Club World Cup winners have lost five consecutive league games without scoring a goal for the first time since 1912 and the club’s bosses have decided to make their second coaching change this season.
“This has not been a decision the Club has taken lightly, however recent results and performances have fallen below the necessary standards with still so much more to play for this season,” Chelsea said in a statement. “Everyone at Chelsea FC wishes Liam every success in the future.”
Chelsea added that Calum McFarlane, previously head coach of the club’s under-21 team, will take charge of the first team as interim head coach until the end of the season.
“As the Club works to bring stability to the Head Coach position, we will undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment,” the statement added.
Rosenior joined the club in January — replacing Enzo Maresca — from Chelsea’s partner club Strasbourg and signed a 5½-year deal.
There has been growing unrest at and around Chelsea in recent months with fans protesting against owners BlueCo, who also own Strasbourg as part of their multi-club ownership model.
A protest against BlueCo’s ownership of the club took place before last weekend’s home defeat to Manchester United, while Rosenior was abused by some away fans as the Blues produced an insipid display at Brighton on Tuesday.
Chelsea had been keen to retain Rosenior regardless of whether they reached next season’s Champions League but have become concerned by the recent downturn in results and increasing unrest among supporters.
Sources earlier told ESPN that Chelsea’s hierarchy were discussing the 41-year-old’s future on Wednesday, while players were given the day off.
Rosenior had turned on his players following Tuesday’s loss, calling their performance “indefensible.”
Chelsea have won one of their past nine games in the league, are seventh in the standings and seven points adrift of the top five, who all qualify for the Champions League.
After winning the UEFA Conference League last season and lifting the Club World Cup last summer, Chelsea, who are facing an uphill battle to qualify for European football next season, were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain by an aggregate score of 8-2 and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by rivals Arsenal.
Rosenior becomes the fifth permanent manager to lose his job since U.S. owners Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly bought one of English football’s most storied clubs in 2022.
ESPN’s James Olley and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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