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As Chelsea drift further from Champions League contention, the club has dismissed manager Liam Rosenior after just 106 days at the helm of Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea's Club World Cup victory and early Premier League title challenge now feel like a distant memory. Since Enzo Maresca's stunning departure on New Year's Day, the west London club crashed out of the Carabao Cup, the Champions League, and slid down the table in what has been a dismal second half of the campaign.
Rosenior, entrusted with steering the Blues into a new chapter, instead guided the team to unprecedented lows and ultimately lost his position. Chelsea suffered five consecutive league defeats without scoring — their worst such run since 1912 — slipping to seventh place and out of the Champions League spots.
There is little chance for the struggling side to claw back into the top five unless Manchester United, Aston Villa, or Liverpool stumble in their remaining games, while Chelsea simultaneously win all of theirs.
Man Utd, Aston Villa, Liverpool & Chelsea's Fixtures Compared
Man Utd (58 points) | Aston Villa (55 points) | Liverpool (55 points) | Chelsea (48 points) |
|---|---|---|---|
Brentford (H) – April 27 | Fulham (A) – April 25 | Crystal Palace (H) – April 25 | – |
Liverpool (H) – May 3 | Tottenham (H) – May 3 | Man Utd (A) – May 3 | Nott'm Forest – May 4 |
Sunderland (A) – May 9 | Burnley (A) – May 10 | Chelsea (H) – May 9 | Liverpool (A) – May 9 |
Nott'm Forest (H) – May 17 | Liverpool (H) – May 17 | Aston Villa (A) – May 17 | Tottenham (H) – May 17 |
Brighton (A) – May 24 | Man City (A) – May 24 | Brentford (H) – May 24 | Sunderland (A) – May 24 |
Chelsea's first fixture following Rosenior's dismissal is the FA Cup semifinal against Leeds United on Sunday. They then don't return to league action until Monday, May 4, when they host Nottingham Forest. The Tricky Trees will be desperate for points to avoid the drop, making what appears to be a straightforward fixture anything but.
The real test, however, arrives at Anfield five days later. Chelsea had the upper hand in the earlier meeting back in October, but they now face a Liverpool side battling hard for a Champions League berth. Despite their inconsistency this season, Arne Slot's squad will see their west London visitors as easy pickings.
After that comes a clash with Tottenham Hotspur, who are fighting for survival in the Premier League. Both sides are badly out of form, which could produce a chaotic encounter at Stamford Bridge before Chelsea wrap up their turbulent 2025–26 campaign away at Sunderland.
Man Utd, who extended their lead over Chelsea to 10 points following their 1–0 win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, now face back-to-back difficult fixtures against Brentford and Liverpool. Chelsea's collapse opens the door for the Bees to potentially qualify for Europe, giving Keith Andrews's side added incentive for their visit to Old Trafford.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will be eager for payback after Harry Maguire netted a late winner for the Red Devils in the earlier meeting at Anfield. If Man Utd navigate both fixtures successfully, they will effectively seal their Champions League spot for next season before facing Sunderland.
Nottingham Forest then visit the Theatre of Dreams in what should be a comfortable outing for Michael Carrick's side before they close out the season against Brighton & Hove Albion — the team that knocked the Red Devils out of the FA Cup in January.
Like Chelsea, Aston Villa are still competing on two fronts. Unai Emery's side face Fulham in the Premier League this weekend before shifting focus to the Europa League semifinals against Nottingham Forest.
Sandwiched between the European ties is a fixture against a woeful Spurs side that has not claimed a Premier League win in 2026. Burnley should also present minimal danger, given their near-certain relegation.
Strong results against the struggling clubs would give the Villans the breathing room they need heading into their final two matches against Liverpool and Manchester City. Aston Villa will be hoping to avoid a scenario where they must win one or both of those games to secure Champions League football next season.
Chelsea's collapse in form has significantly eased the pressure on a Liverpool side hanging on to the final Champions League position. Nevertheless, a challenging run-in still awaits the reigning English champions.
Crystal Palace, who have proven to be a persistent obstacle for Liverpool in recent seasons, represent the most manageable hurdle before Slot's side travel to Old Trafford — a ground where they have managed just one win since 2022.
The Reds then continue their stretch of top-half opposition with fixtures against Chelsea and Aston Villa. A convincing victory over the Blues would provide Liverpool with a significant confidence boost ahead of their trip to another ground that has not been kind to them — Villa Park.
Brentford head to Anfield on the final day of the season, looking to play the role of spoiler on what promises to be an emotional occasion for Mohamed Salah, who will pull on a red shirt for the very last time.