Liam Rosenior has made his first Chelsea team selection for tonight’s FA Cup clash with Charlton.
The new boss has made wholesale changes from the midweek derby defeat by Fulham for his maiden game in charge as some squad players get a chance to impress and a number of key stars are rested for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg tie against Arsenal.
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Also in the dugout for the first time at The Valley will be Rosenior’s new Chelsea coaching staff, which includes a mixture of previous Blues employees and coaches he worked with in his last job at Strasbourg.
It also includes Calum McFarlane, who was Chelsea’s caretaker manager for the last two games but has been promoted to first-team coach following Rosenior’s appointment after he impressed when stepping up after Enzo Maresca’s departure.
Rosenior has named a rather experimental lineup for his first game this evening, with Championship opponents Charlton considered beatable opposition for a Chelsea team for whom games are coming thick and fast.
Second-choice goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen gets the nod, as does midfielder Andrey Santos, whom Rosenior coached when he spent the second half of last season on loan at Strasbourg.
Estevao Willian did not play against Fulham but remains on the bench, while Cole Palmer has not made the squad.
Shim Mheuka from the Chelsea development side trained with the first team on Thursday for what was Rosenior’s first session at Cobham, but is also left out.
Marc Cucurella is suspended following his first-half red card against Fulham.
Chelsea cannot call on Levi Colwill or Romeo Lavia against Charlton as they continue to recover from longer-term injuries. Dario Essugo trained on Thursday but is still a doubt.
Chelsea XI: Jorgensen; Acheampong, Tosin, Badiashile, Hato; Caicedo, Santos; Gittens, Buonanotte, Garnacho; Guiu
Subs: Sanchez, Fofana, Chalobah, Essugo, Neto, Enzo, Estevao, Joao Pedro, Delap
Injured: Colwill, Lavia
Suspended: Cucurella
Charlton XI: Mannion; Gough, Jones, Bell, Bree, Coventry, Docherty, Campbell, Leaburn, Kelman
Subs: Maynard-Brewer, Gillesphey, Anderson, Rankin-Costello, Berry, Knibbs, Apter, Fullah, Olaofe
Time and date: 8pm GMT on Saturday January 10, 2026
Venue: The Valley
