Chelsea began the Liam Rosenior era with a convincing 5-1 FA Cup win over Charlton Athletic, but supporter anger towards the club’s owners overshadowed the result. Rosenior’s rotated side controlled the match and progressed comfortably to the fourth round, yet travelling fans continued protests against Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly.
The new head coach, appointed after Enzo Maresca’s turbulent exit, rested key players ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal. Chelsea dominated possession and broke through when teenage defender Jorrel Hato scored just before half-time. Second-half goals from Tosin Adarabioyo and Marc Guiu restored control after Charlton briefly pulled one back. Substitutes Pedro Neto and Estevão Willian added further gloss, with Enzo Fernández converting a late penalty.
Despite the emphatic scoreline and promising displays from younger players, dissent from the away end remained constant, underlining ongoing scepticism about Chelsea’s ownership and long-term direction.
