Chelsea under-21 head coach Calum McFarlane is set to lead the senior side against Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, stepping in after Enzo Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day, with the club
acting amid poor league form and reported internal tension.
Maresca, who guided Chelsea to both the Conference League title and the Club World Cup last season, left after a difficult domestic run, as Chelsea collected only one win from seven league fixtures, increasing scrutiny around the former Leicester City manager and the relationship with the board.
McFarlane confirmed that the decision for him to take charge arrived very quickly, and that preparation started immediately. "We found out at lunchtime yesterday [Thursday]," said McFarlane on when he was told he would be in charge against City. The under-21 coach then outlined how the staff reacted once informed.
"So we had the whole of yesterday to get our heads around how they’ve been playing and what their games have looked like andlucky that they played last night [versus Sunderland] as well so we got to watch that game. We’ve had a chance to have a look and get some ideas together. " That recent Manchester City match offered fresh information for Chelsea’s temporary staff.
Looking ahead to Sunday. pic.twitter.com/GN3mK7WbgOChelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 2, 2026
On Friday, McFarlane led the first-team training session at Cobham and stressed that discussions with the squad centred on football details and upcoming work rather than speculation about the next permanent manager, with attention directed towards Manchester City and the Premier League fixture demands.
"All my communication and relationship with the players has been around what training is going to look like today, what the next couple of days might look like, what Sunday might look like," added the U21 coach. "So in terms of the bigger picture, I’m probably not the person that they would be asking those questions. " McFarlane highlighted that longer-term issues sit outside the interim brief.
Chelsea, Manchester City backdrop and Premier League form
Questions about the reported tension between Maresca and the club hierarchy were put to McFarlane, but the under-21 coach explained that day-to-day work with academy players happens away from board-level matters. When asked if he knew about any problems between Maresca and the board, he responded: "No. We’re in a different building on the other side so my job is just to coach the U21s players to the best of our ability and help them get their opportunities in the first team. "
With Chelsea seeking to stabilise results after their difficult league spell, McFarlane’s short-term task is to prepare a focused game plan for Manchester City, while the club’s leadership decides on Maresca’s long-term successor, ensuring continuity from the under-21 setup to the senior squad during this transitional period.
