Chelsea

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Burnley at Stamford Bridge (15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Rosenior confirmed Reece James and Cole Palmer "trained really well today" and are "are both fully fit and both available for selection at the moment", but their fitness is "based on day by day".

• He did not give a return date for Marc Cucurella, who will not be available: "I can't given an exact timeframe. He suffered a hamstring injury just before half-time in the Leeds game. It's a real shame because he's an outstanding player, and one of the best left-backs in the world. But we have Jorrel [Hato] and we have Malo [Gusto] who can play on that side, so we have really good players that can cover."

• Several first-team players used a free midweek to travel to Dubai: "I looked at the players' schedules over the past 18 months. That was my idea. I thought it was the right thing for the players considering the workload they've had. I encouraged the players to go and get some sun. Sometimes it is the best way to rejuvenate."

• On captain James' relationship with former skipper John Terry: "John is a legend of the club. With the experience he has got, it's an amazing thing for Reece to tap into. You can learn from anyone, but learning from people that have been there and done it is the best way."

• On the race to qualify for next season's Champions League:: "It's February. There is plenty of time. It's not going to be simple. This is a strong league. We have to take care of our business regardless of what time we play."

• Asked how competitive the league is in the wake of leaders Arsenal's drawing at bottom side Wolves, Rosenior said:" I don't think it's just complacency. I thought Wolves were outstanding yesterday. This is such a strong league now. What we have to do is focus on our own performance and prepare ourselves right. Whether we're playing Wolves, Burnley, Manchester City or Arsenal, our process is the same."

• On Liam Delap's recent lack of goals: "That's the first thing I look for in my strikers - people contributing to us winning games of football. All strikers want to score goals - that's why they play the game - but Liam defends from the front amazingly well. If you look at most players and their careers, it's usually the second season they take off. He's had some injuries. I'm really happy with Liam."

• Rosenior responded strongly when asked about the incident of alleged racist abuse targeted at Vinicus Junior in the Champions League game between Real Madrid and Benfica: "If any player or any coach is ever found guilty of racism, they shouldn't be in the game. It's as simple as that."

Listen to live commentary of Chelsea v Burnley at 15:00 on Saturday on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 and BBC Sounds

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Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

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Chelsea should have been awarded a third penalty in their 3-1 victory at Wolves on 7 February, the Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel has said.

However, it also felt the incident did not reach the threshold for a video assistant referee (VAR) intervention.

Striker Joao Pedro had already been awarded two spot-kicks, following first-half fouls by Matt Doherty and Yerson Mosquera.

The third incident came in the fourth minute of the second half.

Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa came out to claim a high ball under pressure from Pedro.

The Portuguese shot-stopper caught the ball with a raised boot leading into the thigh of the 24-year-old.

The KMI Panel voted 3-2 that the spot-kick should have been awarded on the field.

It said: "Sa's boot is high and his extended leg makes contact with Pedro, with the panel feeling a penalty should have been awarded."

The KMI Panel was unanimous that the VAR official Paul Howard was right not to intervene for the penalty or a red card.

It added that the challenge "lacks any real force to meet the threshold for a red card".

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

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Chelsea will be only just back from their mid-season break when Liam Rosenior speaks to the media to preview Saturday's home match against Burnley.

After a relentless run of midweek fixtures since the September international break, Chelsea have finally had eight days to prepare for a game - with players given permission to take short overseas holidays.

Cole Palmer, Wesley Fofana, Joao Pedro, Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella all travelled to Dubai, while Alejandro Garnacho chose Egypt for some winter sun.

Allowing the squad time away appears an obvious decision, given most of them played in the Club World Cup and had only 35 days between seasons - the shortest break ever recorded for Chelsea.

It will be interesting to see how the team look after this reset, and how Rosenior - who has experienced a whirlwind start since arriving in early January - has used the time.

Come back to this page later on Thursday for all the key lines from Rosenior.

Striker Liam Delap is likely to leave Chelsea this summer, sparking interest from clubs including Manchester United, Newcastle and Everton. (Caught Offside, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

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The Emenalo family story is about more than a Chelsea-linked father and his son.

Brothers Sebastien and Landon Emenalo - raised by former Nigeria international and long‑serving Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo - could become the first siblings to play in the Premier League and the NBA at the same time.

Landon, 18, operates as a midfielder or defender, is a regular for Chelsea Under‑21s and represents England at youth level.

Older Sebastien, meanwhile, stands at 6ft 7in and began as a goalkeeper in Chelsea's academy before switching sports. He progressed through the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, and is now a freshman guard at Loyola University Maryland in the United States.

His ambition is clear: to enter the NBA draft within the next two or three years.

Sporting excellence runs throughout the family. Their mother, Erin, was an All‑American goalkeeper at the University of Portland before playing for the Washington Freedom in the first professional women's league in the US.

Within Chelsea circles, the Emenalo name has long been familiar because of Michael, who represented Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup and played in the US, England and Spain, before later working in executive roles at Monaco and in the Saudi Pro League.

For Sebastien and Landon, it has been a blend of nature and nurture that has positioned them to pursue an unprecedented dual rise in two of the world's most competitive sporting environments.

Landon is highly thought of at Chelsea. He has trained under three managers - Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and now Liam Rosenior - and has been on the bench in Premier League, Champions League and Conference League matches.

And having represented both England and the United States - while remaining eligible for Nigeria - he could yet become the focus of a future tug‑of‑war over his international allegiance.

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Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

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Sporting winger Geovany Quenda has been carrying out much of his recovery from a fractured metatarsal at Chelsea's training ground.

The 18‑year‑old has been given access to Chelsea's world‑class facilities at Cobham and the chance to familiarise himself with his future club ahead of his summer move.

Quenda hopes to return to the pitch in March, having sustained the injury in early December during a match against Benfica.

That return would see him feature in Sporting's upcoming Champions League last‑16 ties and his side are also competing for the Portuguese title and sit four points behind leaders Porto in second place.

The decision to have Quenda continue his rehabilitation at Cobham is not always the case, with fellow future summer signings Emanuel Emegha, at Strasbourg, and Dastan Satpaev, at FC Kairat, both currently injured but completing their recovery away from Chelsea. Emegha has remained at Strasbourg, while Satpaev has been rehabilitating in the Middle East.

Chelsea agreed a £40m pre‑contract to sign Quenda in July 2026, finalised in March last year.

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We asked for your views on where you stand on Liam Delap and his long-term future at Stamford Bridge.

Here are some of your comments:

Keith: Delap needs to start scoring goals but for that to happen he needs the service. A good run in the side will help.

Paul: He has had a disruptive season so far. I think if he stays injury free, he will surprise all the doubters next season.

Steven: Delap is nothing more than a decent Championship player. Never has been a Premier League player and never will be.

Phil: Delap has been very poor overall. Always seems more concerned with attempting to bully the opposition centre-half than looking after the ball and the Hull City miss was the most unprofessional piece of play I've ever seen. I'd welcome Nicolas Jackson's return, even though his main attributes seem to be petulance and self-absorption. We're not exactly spoiled for back-ups to the excellent Joao Pedro.

Baz: Delap is 'another' young player who the powers that be chose for potential. That potential is not being realised and Chelsea, can't believe I'm saying this, were better off with Jackson. Delap tries to balance failing to impress fans with his scoring by being aggressive in challenges, petulant even. Sadly, he has been mostly careless and attracts yellow cards for his troubles and lack of finesse. Delap is likeable, though, and I wish him well wherever he goes next.

Don: First thing to do for Delap is change his shirt number. The nine has been a curse for strikers at the club for too many years. His work-rate is second to none and I think the goals will come, but the nine shirt is wrong for him. He's still young, so work with him more and I think it will come.

Richard: What do you expect when he spends sooooo much time on the right wing. Get in the box, do not leave the width of the box. Watch more videos of Didier Drogba.

Gary: Having watched Delap in a Blue shirt this season, l was hoping he would prove to be an asset for us. To date, l been extremely disappointed and his performance against Hull has drawn me to two conclusions. 1. He is an excellent Championship-level player and no more; 2. He's not good enough for any Chelsea starting XI. I hope he'll prove me wrong.

James: There is no doubt Delap is a good player but is he of the level that Chelsea require? I am yet to be convinced. I feel like he would thrive more, as he did last season, playing for a team lower down the table. Without this coming across as snobbery, that would bring the best out of him.

Nicolas Jackson and Chelsea will evaluate their options in the summer with Bayern Munich not expected to trigger an obligation to buy the 24-year-old Senegal striker during his season-long loan in Germany. (Mail - subscription required), external

Nottingham Forest's 23-year-old Brazil defender Murillo has emerged as a key target for Chelsea but the Reds' asking price is around £70m. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

The likelihood of Nicolas Jackson playing for Chelsea in 2026-27 has been the subject of several questions sent in via our Blues 'Ask Me Anything' form.

It has seemed clear, almost from the outset, that Bayern Munich do not intend to sign Jackson permanently following his initial loan spell.

That leaves open the strong possibility the Senegal striker will return to Chelsea.

However, those close to the player do not expect him to feature at Stamford Bridge again, with Chelsea having made him available for sale last summer.

Jackson is likely to be assessing his next move, with clubs including Aston Villa and Juventus previously expressing interest in signing him.

Chelsea, meanwhile, already have two strikers in Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, with a third, Emmanuel Emegha, arriving in the summer from Strasbourg.

There are a lot of potential scenarios that could still play out, though, and it hasn't been ruled out that Liam Rosenior takes a shine to him, or a that a major injury to another player could pave a way back for Jackson next season.

Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.

We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.

Find out more here

Will Faulks
Fan writer

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There are times in life when you get a compliment which stings as much as criticism.

Liam Rosenior's words about Liam Delap after Friday's win over Hull City had that ring to them. The Chelsea manager praised the forward's work-rate and dedication, and noted that he had given a nice assist in the 4-0 win.

But the reality is that the most memorable part of Delap's performance was his decision to prioritise celebrating, and then appeal to the referee, over actually making sure the ball was in the net after it had hit the crossbar and bounced out.

It was not the kind of thing you would see from a striker with a true goal-machine, killer mentality. Alan Shearer was as baffled as you'd expect on the BBC's coverage of the game. It was, on the other hand, what you expect to see from a player with two goals in 24 appearances this season.

Rosenior, like most managers, is reluctant to be critical of his players at the best of times. There's little to be gained, and a lot to lose. He is right in that Delap's assist for Estevao Willian was great, and that Delap does plenty of grafting for the team.

But in the long term, running around is not going to be enough. Of course, a consistent series of starts will help him find some form, but no striker who is scoring one goal in every 500 minutes on the pitch can expect to be starting regularly for a Champions League team.

Let's not forget, Nicolas Jackson was moved on last summer despite having a similarly admirable attitude, plus a far better goalscoring record to boot.

There is plenty of time left in the campaign for Delap to prove his worth. But he will be desperate to earn praise for more than just his diligence before the season is out.

Where do you stand on Delap and his long-term future at Stamford Bridge?

Get in touch with your views here

Find more from Will Faulks at Chelsea News, external

Nicolas Jackson is expected to return to Chelsea this summer because his lack of game time at Bayern Munich means the Bundesliga club are unlikely to trigger an obligation-to-buy clause in the forward's loan agreement. (Times - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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The draw for the FA Cup fifth round has been made. Here is a list of all the ties in the order they were drawn.

• Fulham v Southampton

• Port Vale or Bristol City v Sunderland

• Newcastle United v Manchester City

• Leeds United v Norwich City

• Mansfield Town v Arsenal

• Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool

• Wrexham v Chelsea

• West Ham v Macclesfield or Brentford

The matches will be played over the weekend of 7 March.

Watch all the highlights and best video from this season's FA Cup

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The 2025-26 FA Cup fifth-round draw will take place on Monday, 16 February at about 18:35 GMT.

It will be done before the fourth-round tie between Macclesfield Town - the lowest-ranked team left in the competition - and Brentford, with former England internationals Joe Cole and Karen Carney conducting the draw on TNT Sports.

Supporters can also follow the draw on the BBC Sport website and app.

All matches will be played around the weekend commencing Saturday, 7 March.

Unlike in previous years, there are no replays if matches end as a draw. All ties will go to extra time, and if necessary, a penalty shootout.

What are the ball numbers?

1. Liverpool

2. Fulham

3. Sunderland

4. Southampton

5. Wrexham

6. Arsenal

7. Chelsea

8. West Ham United

9. Mansfield Town

10. Norwich City

11. Port Vale or Bristol City

12. Wolverhampton Wanderers

13. Newcastle United

14. Manchester City

15. Macclesfield or Brentford

16. Leeds United

Chelsea along with Liverpool are showing interest in Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, who is set to leave the club this summer. (Teamtalk), external

Along with Tottenham, they are also interested in signing Bayern Munich's South Korean centre-back Kim Min-jae, 29. (CFBayernInsider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Pundits Ellen White and Shay Given join host Alex Scott to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Hull City 0-4 Chelsea

• Wrexham 1-0 Ipswich

• Burton Albion 0-1 West Ham

• Manchester City 2-0 Salford City

• Aston Villa 1-3 Newcastle

• Liverpool 3-0 Brighton and Hove Albion

We asked for your views on Chelsea's FA Cup win over Hull City.

Here are some of your comments:

David: Game was never in doubt. Delap recovered well from a terrible first half to play well. But how has he not scored - such a schoolboy error. You're told not to stop until you hear the whistle. Into the next round - job done!

Nick: My three key takeaways… First, Chelsea focused for 90-plus minutes for a change, and didn't switch off once comfortably ahead. Secondly, Neto showed his versatility by playing as a number 10, winger and - of course - goalscorer. Thirdly, Delap did well to recover from his earlier brain-freeze to set up three gift-wrapped assists. It was an exceptionally good centre-forward performance after that lapse. Oh, and well done Hull City for dealing so swiftly with the homophobic chanting.

Raymond: I'm surprised no-one's mentioned Sarr. He's just what we've been looking for - someone comfortable on the ball and he never seemed rushed. I think getting him back was a good move.

Jack: Got the job done... eventually. Good to see Santos becoming a consistent member of the squad and some promising performances from Sarr and Derry. Unfortunately, Garnacho is stuck in a rut and doesn't offer much at all. This should have been a chance for him to impress - but it was the opposite.

Keith: A good, strong, solid second half. Apart from the three chances in the first half, I was falling asleep - this passing the ball about at the back is slow and very boring. Move the ball quickly and you get the results.

James: Good all-round performance, Neto was outstanding and Estevao is a special talent. Good attitude from Delap and three assists - he just needs a few goals to get up and running.

George: Terrific show from the whole team. Hopefully the good cup run will continue all the way to Wembley.

Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport journalist

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Liam Delap has started just two of Chelsea's last nine Premier League games, but was handed a chance by Liam Rosenior, with in-form forward Joao Pedro dropping to the bench.

And despite Delap's misjudgement, the Blues boss praised the forward for his response and part in the success.

The ball he played to Neto for the opening goal in the 40th minute was the first pass he had completed in the final third, having lost possession eight times beforehand.

His second assist for Estevao came after some brilliant hold-up play, while he teed up Neto for the second time at the MKM Stadium with a powerful drive into the box.

Rosenior called Delap's performance "top" and said: "To be a number nine, especially in a system that we play, it's not always about yourself.

"It's about bringing other people into play. It's about sometimes making sacrifice runs so other players get the space."

And former Blackburn and Newcastle striker Shearer added: "Delap recovered well from that start and has been instrumental in the win. He deserves a lot of credit for that."

Ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards hopes Delap can "replicate that in the Premier League".

"I think Liam Delap's game was brilliant," he told BBC One. "What I liked about it, is when Hull set up in this five, Delap was thinking if he could get into the space."

While Delap must wait for his next goal, former Spurs and Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown added on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Delap can do anything. He is like a throwback and is that all-around number nine.

"He is very effective when he is on his game. He is good in the air, he can hold the ball up well, he can defend and he can finish.

"I think he is another outlet. Chelsea now have a plan B if they want to use it and that could be an option."

Read more on Liam Delap's performance against Hull here

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior, speaking to BBC Sport: "I was delighted with the players' application and attitude in the first half. It was a difficult game. We've had some good 90 minutes. Obviously, you want every minute of every game to be perfect. There is a lot of things we can improve, but in terms of our start together, I am delighted with it.

"Pedro Neto has been outstanding. He works so hard and he has so much quality. I am delighted to see him get the goals he got. Everyone worked really, really hard for each other.

"The most pleasing aspect was the mentality. They were a credit to the club. It was a really strong performance in terms of the mental application you need to be successful."

Enjoyed coming back to former club Hull? "I had over 20 of my family here. This club means a lot, not just to me but also my family, for many reasons. I really appreciate the reception I got from the club and it was nice to get a good reception from both sets of fans."

Chelsea striker Liam Delap, speaking to TNT Sports: "We came here with one task and that was to win. We showed we can battle and also play some good football, so we are happy.

"Pedro Neto is an incredible player. He is playing in a position he is not even used to but he showed his quality."

On the chance he had in the first half: "I swear on my life, I almost ran off. I thought it went in and was waiting for the referee to blow his whistle. It was silly from me, but I thought it was in."

Did you know?

• Pedro Neto scored his first senior career hat-trick, while it was the first by a Chelsea player in an FA Cup match since Tammy Abraham in January 2021 against Luton Town.

• Estevao Willian has seven goals for Chelsea in 2025-26 - the most by a teenager for the club in a season in the Premier League era.

• Chelsea have won all nine of their FA Cup ties against Hull City, which is the most ties played by one team against another with a 100% success rate in FA Cup history. They reached the final in the previous three seasons they eliminated the Tigers (1999-00, 2017-18 and 2019-20).

• Since Liam Rosenior took over, the Blues have won the joint most games of any side in Europe's top five leagues (eight of 11).