“You never know”

Enzo Maresca was sacked by Chelsea on the first day of 2026 after a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge with Brighton. It was the Blues' third game without a win in the Premier League and managers acted without a suitable replacement at hand, fearing the team could otherwise slip further away from the podium.

U21 coach Calum McFarlane will be on Chelsea's bench against Manchester City

Under-21 coach Calum McFarlane will be on the bench against Manchester City on Sunday, but Liam Rosenior, currently at RC Strasbourg, is the hot favorite to replace Maresca.

Under the management of the former Fulham and Reading full-back, the French outfit qualified for the 2025-26 Conference League last season and now sit seventh in Ligue 1 ahead of Saturday's trip to Nice.

Liam Rosenior says 'if you get involved in that, as a coach you fail'

He has just been quizzed by reporters about Chelsea's interest, but has denied being approached by the London club's bosses. “There is a lot of noise, there is a lot of speculation. But as a coach, if you get involved in that, you fail. My job is here, I love Strasbourg.

No, I haven't spoken to the players about Chelsea's interest. No need, they are online and I just made a few jokes. We focused on our work. The goal is to continue to create great things here,” said the British technician.

Liam Rosenior: “You can't control everything in life”

But he admitted that “in life, there are no guarantees. You never know what tomorrow will bring. I'm just doing my job. There has already been speculation. I don't want to guarantee how long I'll be here, but I'm enjoying every day I spend in France.

I intend to continue doing this as long as I am in Strasbourg. I love this club, but I can't guarantee anything. No one can. I'm honest, you can never control everything in life. I could say I'll stay here for years and then get fired.”