Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has admitted he does not know what the consequences will be if the Blues fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Rosenior’s side slipped further in the race for the top five after a 1-0 home defeat to Manchester United. The result leaves Chelsea 10 points behind United and four points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool, who face Everton in the Merseyside derby.
Before the game, Cole Palmer said he had no plans to leave Stamford Bridge and argued that qualifying for the Champions League “is a good position to sign players that we need.” But Rosenior acknowledged that missing out this season could affect both incoming and outgoing transfers, and he was unsure how plans might change.
“The honest answer is I don’t know,” Rosenior said in his post-match press conference. “The honest answer is we’re still fighting and we will address that situation at the end of the season, whatever the situation is.”
Palmer, speaking to The Guardian, downplayed suggestions he might leave and emphasised the importance of Champions League qualification for the club’s recruitment and long-term aims. “I’ve got no plans to move from Chelsea. We’ve still got a lot to play for,” he said, adding that finishing in a Champions League spot would help attract the players needed. He also referenced talks with the owners and suggested that teammates such as Reece James would not have signed long contracts without clarity from the board.
Chelsea face a tough run-in, with just five Premier League games remaining. They will need rivals such as Liverpool and Aston Villa to slip up if they are to climb back into the Champions League places, while pressure from teams below — including Brentford, Bournemouth, Brighton and Everton — means there is a risk of dropping further.
Recent form has raised concerns: Chelsea have failed to score in their last four league matches, their worst scoreless run since 1912, and have six of their last seven fixtures in the Premier League remaining, with four of those already played.
Despite the challenge, Rosenior insisted qualification is still possible. “It gives us a mountain to climb,” he said. “It’s not insurmountable. We have to go into Brighton with an idea that we have to win that game and kick-start the rest of our season.”
Chelsea also have the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds to look forward to as they try to salvage the season and keep hopes alive of European football next term.