Liam Rosenior Hails ‘Outstanding’ Chelsea Start After FA Cup Rout of Charlton

Liam Rosenior praised an “outstanding” start to his Chelsea reign after his new side delivered a commanding 5-1 victory over Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

Taking charge of the Blues for the first time following his appointment from Strasbourg, Rosenior enjoyed a dream debut as goals from Jorrel Hato, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández sealed a convincing win at The Valley.

The 41-year-old was appointed earlier this week after Chelsea parted company with Enzo Maresca following a turbulent spell marked by reports of internal tensions with the club’s hierarchy.

Rosenior’s appointment has drawn scrutiny in some quarters, with critics questioning his independence given Strasbourg’s shared ownership structure with Chelsea. However, the former Hull City boss ensured there was no room for early embarrassment as his side comfortably brushed aside Championship strugglers Charlton, who sit 19th in the table.

“It was a good start — professional,” Rosenior said. “The first goal came at an important moment in the game and it was a brilliant strike from Jorrel. The quality of the players was outstanding. It’s a strong start and something to build on.

“Goals change games and that comes down to quality. To score when we did was really important.

“I’ve got a fantastic squad and I was delighted with the players who started. I thought Marc Guiu was magnificent and he fully deserved his goal.

“There are a lot of positives, but while it’s a strong start, there’s nothing to get carried away about just yet.”

Rosenior, who was dismissed by Hull City in 2024, has plenty to prove at Stamford Bridge, but his debut success places him in rare company. He becomes the first Chelsea manager to win his first match in charge since Antonio Conte in 2016, after nine permanent and caretaker managers failed to do so.

Since Todd Boehly’s consortium completed its takeover of the club, high-profile managers including Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter and Maresca have all failed to enjoy prolonged spells in the role.

Sterner challenges now await Rosenior, beginning with a major test against Premier League leaders Arsenal in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

“The lads have been really receptive to us and I thank them for that,” Rosenior added. “If we keep working in this way, I’m excited for the future.

“We’ve got just a small game coming up next on Wednesday.”