"We Want Our Chelsea Back" — chants echoed during pre-match protest marches, and then spread to the stands in the second half of Manchester United's victory.
Given Chelsea have suffered four consecutive goalless defeats in the Premier League — the club's longest run of winless, goalless defeats since November 1912 — fans' frustration is understandable. Following the 1-0 loss to Manchester United, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior admitted his team faces "a mountain to climb" in their quest for Champions League qualification. They are currently four points off the top five, having played one game more.
If they fail to secure Champions League football, it will be regarded as a disappointment within the club, meaning they may not achieve the minimum target set by former manager Mauricio Pochettino before the season. Missing out on Champions League qualification would mean a loss of crucial revenue and prestige, and would be the third time Chelsea have failed to qualify in four seasons since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover in 2022.
Most criticism had previously focused on the defense, goalkeepers, and the team's age structure — but now, the attack has also come under fire. Chelsea have not scored a single goal in the league for nearly six and a half hours.
Rosenior's rapid appointment from sister club Strasbourg is one of the reasons why extremist fans of the French team joined Chelsea supporters in the protests. Fans of both clubs believe they have been negatively affected by this decision made in January.
The blame game is expanding at Chelsea. Liverpool are four points ahead with a game in hand, while rivals Manchester United and Aston Villa look increasingly difficult to catch. "It's not an insurmountable gap, but it does give us a mountain to climb. We have to go to Brighton on Tuesday with the determination to win and restart the rest of the season," Rosenior said.
Pressure is mounting as the season collapses at a critical juncture with just five games remaining.
Is Rosenior in Danger?
A few weeks ago, when this slump first began, Rosenior pointed out that he inherited a team eighth in the league and fourth in recent form rankings. However, since his appointment, his team has dropped to ninth in form rankings and is likely to fall further once all teams have played 33 matches.
This is a damaging record, especially considering Rosenior had called for more time on the training ground. Despite having a full midweek to prepare before the last two games, Chelsea still lost to Manchester City and Manchester United. He had hoped the March international break would be a turning point to reverse the poor form, but the slump has continued into April.
Prior to the match, the view within the club was that Rosenior's position remains secure, and even if Chelsea fail to qualify for the Champions League, his assessment will not take place until the end of next season — after his first full season in charge. "We believe we support Liam. Of course, this is a results-driven business, but we think he can achieve long-term success," influential owner Behdad Eghbali said Thursday at the CAA World Sports Congress in Los Angeles.
Eghbali also acknowledged that lack of managerial stability has been one of the key issues behind Chelsea's poor performance in recent seasons. However, sticking with Rosenior would be a bold decision if his instructions fail to get through to the players — Chelsea fans are notoriously impatient, given the frequent managerial changes during former owner Roman Abramovich's era.
Or Is Anger Focused on the Board?
Enzo Fernández returns to Chelsea after serving a two-match internal ban
While some fan anger is directed at Rosenior, many Chelsea supporters are also pointing the finger at Eghbali, Boehly, and other members of BlueCo's management. During recent protests, fans marched from Wolfpack Inn pub to Stamford Bridge before kick-off. Participation has grown from around 200 people before the Brentford match to over 500 before Saturday's game. There were flares, banners, chants against the owners, and calls supporting former owner Roman Abramovich.
Under the terms of the 2022 acquisition agreement, the current ownership group cannot sell the club until at least 2032. However, there are signs they are willing to listen to some criticism, including calls to sign more experienced players. "We recognize the need for balance. You adjust a model, you improve, you learn from mistakes," Eghbali said. “We have a strong core, but we need to add experience to take the team to the next level and achieve consistency. We are not ignoring this.”
However, any rebuilding efforts will be undermined if Champions League qualification is missed. Under current ownership, Chelsea have spent approximately £1.5 billion on transfers. Despite recouping around £750 million through player sales, they still face scrutiny from UEFA over their finances and have previously been fined for rule violations.The club posted a record Premier League pre-tax loss in their latest accounts. Without additional revenue from Europe's top competition — including broadcasting, sponsorship, and
ticket sales — it remains questionable whether Chelsea can make effective signings in the summer. Before the match, Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer told TNT Sports: "If we don't make the Champions League, everything changes." When asked about Palmer's comments and the potential financial impact, Rosenior replied: “The honest answer is, I don't know. We're still fighting, and we'll deal with it at the end of the season regardless of the situation.”
Meanwhile, Enzo Fernández's agent Javier Pastore stated that his client would view missing out on the Champions League as a problem — even though the midfielder's two-match internal ban, imposed for making comments related to a Real Madrid transfer, ended on Saturday. While protests are mainly driven by younger fans, there are signs of apathy among older matchgoers. Boos rang out at the final whistle, and the atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge grows quieter with each game.
