Chelsea Cruise To 5-1 FA Cup Win Over Charlton As Rosenior Kicks Off Era With Standout Display

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Chelsea moved into the FA Cup fourth round with a 5-1 win over Charlton Athletic, giving Liam Rosenior a successful first match in charge. Marc Guiu led the way at The Valley with one goal and one assist, while late strikes from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez underlined Chelsea’s control in this third-round tie.

Rosenior became the first Chelsea head coach since Antonio Conte in August 2016 to win a debut match. Guiu continued strong form by scoring and assisting in the same game for Chelsea for the first time, and has now registered eight goals across the last nine matches started, easing some pressure from recent league struggles.

Chelsea’s dominance showed in the shot count, as the visitors produced 30 attempts worth 3.59 expected goals. Sixteen efforts tested goalkeeper Will Mannion, who still conceded five times. That volume of pressure reflected Chelsea’s attacking intent across both halves and explained why Charlton rarely escaped their own third for long spells.

Chelsea controlled possession from the opening whistle, yet Charlton defended with discipline for most of the first half. Mannion kept the hosts level with good saves from long-range efforts by Jamie Gittens and Josh Acheampong. Chelsea still built pressure, pinning Charlton deep and forcing repeated clearances from the penalty area.

The resistance finally cracked in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time. A Charlton header dropped loose after a miscue from Guiu, and Jorrel Hato reacted first, crashing a volley into the roof of the net for a first Chelsea goal. Just five minutes after the restart, Tosin Adarabioyo glanced in Facundo Buonanotte’s free-kick with a neat header.

Charlton responded on 57 minutes when Lloyd Jones met a cross with a powerful header, which Robert Sanchez saved, but Miles Leaburn converted the rebound. The two-goal cushion returned five minutes later as Guiu finished low after Mannion had blocked Buonanotte’s shot. Neto drilled into the bottom-left corner on 91 minutes, before Fernandez scored a last-kick penalty after Mannion brought down Estevao, having earlier denied Fernandez twice.

The 5-1 scoreline gave Rosenior a confident opening result, matched by a strong attacking display and clear territorial control. Chelsea’s heavy shot count, Guiu’s ongoing scoring run, and Fernandez’s impact from the bench highlighted the squad depth on show as the team advanced and briefly set aside domestic league concerns.