Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah said the whole squad must share responsibility for the club’s poor Premier League run after the 3-0 defeat at Brighton, as the result deepened concerns about Champions League qualification hopes and followed the decision to dismiss head coach Liam Rosenior.
Chalobah stressed that players must respond together to the setback and acknowledged the frustration among supporters following another heavy league loss. "We can be accountable. As players, we have to be accountable for the performance, Chalobah told Sky Sports. We know how much the fans have been behind us, and we know they are disappointed with the results. We just have to stick together and pull through. "
Chelsea’s defeat at American Express Stadium allowed
Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton to move above the Blues into sixth place. Over the last nine Premier League matches for both clubs, only relegation-threatened London rivals Tottenham, with two points, have earned fewer than Chelsea’s five, which came from one win, two draws and six defeats.
The loss at Brighton also extended a series of unwanted milestones for Chelsea. The team have now suffered five straight league defeats without scoring, something that last happened in November 1912. Their current overall losing streak of five league games is their worst in the Premier League since a six-match run in November 1993.
5 - Chelsea have lost five successive league games without scoring for the first time since November 1912. Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/oym82XQMvDOptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 21, 2026
Fifth place in the Premier League will secure Champions League football for the 2026-27 season, yet Chelsea now face a serious challenge to reach that position. Chelsea trail Liverpool by seven points, and Liverpool still hold a game in hand, leaving the Blues with limited room to recover.
Opta’s supercomputer gives Chelsea only a 1.4% chance of ending the league campaign in fifth. Liverpool are rated at 50% to take that position. Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford are each considered more likely than Chelsea in those simulations, underlining the scale of the task.
Sixth position could still grant a Champions League spot if Aston Villa win this season’s Europa League. However, Chelsea’s probability of finishing sixth is assessed at 10.2%. Brighton’s chances of securing that position are much higher at 36%, suggesting Chelsea face competition even for that fallback route.
Chelsea’s potential league finish ranges widely in the projections. Results elsewhere mean Chelsea could slip to 11th place before the next Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest. Before that match, attention turns to domestic cup action, with Leeds United providing the opposition in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley.
Chelsea Premier League form, manager change and upcoming fixtures
The club’s poor Premier League form led to swift action from the hierarchy. On Wednesday, Chelsea dismissed Liam Rosenior, whose tenure lasted only around three months after replacing Enzo Maresca, who had left Strasbourg. The Brighton defeat was Rosenior’s final match and was labelled unacceptable by the outgoing head coach.
Chalobah was asked whether the FA Cup semi-final adds more pressure during this difficult Premier League period. "Wehave to pick ourselves up. We've got a semi-final to come. It's a massive game at Wembley, Chalobah said about whether there is added pressure to reach the FA Cup final. Us being at another semi-final, we've got to use that as a positive andapproach the game with a strong mentality, try to pick ourselves up from this defeat and stay positive. "
The FA Cup tie with Leeds United therefore arrives at a crucial point in Chelsea’s season. The match offers a chance to change momentum after the Premier League slump, while league fixtures against Nottingham Forest and the final three opponents will decide whether Chelsea can stay in contention for European football or continue to slide down the table.
