Chelsea began the Liam Rosenior era with a dominant 5-1 win over Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup, securing progress to the fourth round. Jorrel Hato, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez all scored at The Valley as Chelsea produced a controlled display that gave Rosenior an immediate boost in the new role.
The result placed Chelsea in the FA Cup fourth round for the 27th time in the last 28 seasons, underlining the club’s strong record in the competition. The only time Chelsea fell earlier in that span came in the 2022-23 campaign, when Manchester City knocked Chelsea out in the third round.
Rosenior’s debut also carried historical weight for Chelsea. Rosenior became the first manager since Antonio Conte in August 2016 to win
a first match in charge of the club, when Conte oversaw a 2-1 victory against West Ham. The 5-1 margin was Chelsea’s largest in a new manager’s opening game since Luiz Felipe Scolari beat Portsmouth 4-0 in August 2008.
Reflecting on the performance, Rosenior highlighted the early breakthrough and overall intensity. "A good start, professional, he told TNT Sports. I thought our first goal came at an important time in the game; it was a brilliant goal for Jorrel. The quality of my players was outstanding. Strong start, something to build on and quite a small game on Wednesday night [the EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal]!"
Rosenior then pointed to the squad’s depth and attitude during a demanding spell in the schedule. "Goals change games, and that comes down to quality of players. To get the goal when we did was really good. I've got a fantastic squad; I was delighted with the starting players. I thought Marc Guiu was magnificent; he deserved his goal. There are a lot of positives. Strong start, but nothing to get too carried away about yet. It's a busy two months. The lads have been really receptive to us, and I thank them for that, and if we keep working in this way, I'm excited for the future. "
Hato’s strike carried special significance for Chelsea and for the Dutch defender personally. At 19 years and 309 days, Hato became Chelsea's youngest FA Cup scorer since Callum Hudson-Odoi, who scored at 19 years and 59 days against Nottingham Forest in January 2020. The goal was also Hato’s first for Chelsea, arriving on Hato’s 12th appearance in all competitions.
Hato described the moment with clear surprise at how cleanly the shot connected. "I was actually surprised that I hit it, so that's why I didn't celebrate it, but very happy with my first goal for Chelsea, and it's a nice way to do it. I knew it was in, he told TNT Sports. " That calm reaction contrasted with the importance of the opening goal in shaping the tie.
Hato also gave insight into how Chelsea adapted to Rosenior’s ideas in a short timeframe. "He has his own way to play football, and I think it is a good way, and it suits us. We had a lot of meetings with him to try to explain how he wants to play because it was a short time, and I think we showed what he wanted. " The comments reinforced Rosenior’s view that the players responded quickly to new tactical demands.
Chelsea’s display combined clinical attacking with a sense of control that pleased Rosenior without prompting overconfidence. With the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final against Arsenal approaching and a packed two-month run ahead, the match offered both a platform and a reminder of the work still required as Chelsea continue in domestic cup competitions.
