Chelsea three wins from FA Cup final as Liam Rosenior’s honeymoon continues

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Hull City v Chelsea in the fourth round of the FA Cup. As well as being an awkward tie for Chelsea, against a team pushing for promotion to the Premier League under Sergej Jakirovic, it’s a big night for the Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior. He returns to the club he managed between 2022 and 2024, his first full-time job.

“If it wasn’t for Hull, and [club owner] Acun [Ilicali] in particular, giving me that opportunity, I wouldn’t be in the situation I’m in now,” said Rosenior. “I’ve had great experiences since, going to Strasbourg, going to France. So I’m definitely a better coach than I was two years ago and hopefully I’ll be a better coach in the next two years to come.”

Rosenior also spent five years as a player at the club and was part of the team that lost the FA Cup final to Arsenal in 2014. “I remember when I went to Hull on trial, I was without a contract, and the way I told my nanny Kath was I took her to the local Harvester, sat her down, and said I’m going to sign for Hull City. That was amazing. She was a season-ticket holder already.

“Sadly she passed away. She’s buried in Cottingham Cemetery, which is less than a mile from the training ground. When I took the manager’s job at Hull, it was pretty much a year to the day that we had her funeral.

“I used to go to Hull when I was a little boy in the summer holidays when she lived there. I grew up there for my summer holidays, went to Boothferry Park in the summer to watch them play. It’s strange that I’m from London but I have a connection with Hull.”

That won’t change, but it’s Rosenior’s connection with Chelsea that is most important tonight.

Kick off 7.45pm