Chelsea Manager Liam Rosenior Calls Out Player After Burnley Draw

Rosenior refused to name the player who missed an assignment on Burnley's late equalizer.

Feb. 23, 2026 at 11:35am

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior was critical of his team's performance after a 1-1 draw with Burnley, singling out a player who failed to mark Burnley's Wesley Fofana on the late equalizing goal. Rosenior did not name the player, saying he would not "throw players under the bus," but made it clear someone had missed an assignment. The draw came after Chelsea had taken an early lead, only to see it slip away late on.

Why it matters

Rosenior's comments highlight ongoing issues with Chelsea's defense and ability to see out games, which could prove costly as they chase a top-four finish. The manager's refusal to publicly criticize the player suggests he is trying to maintain team unity, but the incident raises questions about accountability within the squad.

The details

In the 93rd minute, Burnley's Zian Flemming scored the equalizing goal after Chelsea failed to mark him properly on a corner kick. Rosenior said "there was a player we assigned that duty who marked the wrong player," though he did not name the individual. The manager said he is "learning about the players" and who he can "lean on when things aren't going your way and you need to see a game out."

  • Chelsea took a 1-0 lead in the 4th minute through João Pedro.
  • Wesley Fofana was sent off in the second half, leaving Chelsea a man down.
  • Burnley scored the equalizer in the 93rd minute through Zian Flemming.

The players

Liam Rosenior

The Chelsea manager who criticized his team's performance and singled out a player for failing to mark Burnley's Zian Flemming on the late equalizing goal.

Zian Flemming

The Burnley player who scored the late equalizing goal after not being properly marked by a Chelsea player.

Wesley Fofana

The Chelsea defender who was sent off in the second half, leading to Rosenior having to make defensive adjustments.

Andrey Santos

The Chelsea player who was directly marking Flemming on the goal, but failed to track his run.

Josh Acheampong

The Chelsea defender who came on as a late substitute, and may have been the player Rosenior was referring to as missing his assignment.

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What they’re saying

“An assignment was missed. An assignment, a marking assignment, wasn't done.”

— Liam Rosenior, Chelsea Manager

“I'm learning about the players. I'm learning about the people you can lean on when things aren't going your way and you need to see a game out. That's something we need to address very quickly.”

— Liam Rosenior, Chelsea Manager

What’s next

Rosenior will need to decide who starts alongside Trevoh Chalobah in central defense for Chelsea's upcoming match against Arsenal, with Wesley Fofana suspended. The manager's selection could reveal more about which players he trusts to handle set pieces and high-pressure situations.

The takeaway

Rosenior's refusal to publicly criticize the player who missed the assignment on Burnley's late goal shows he is trying to maintain team unity, but the incident highlights ongoing issues with Chelsea's defense and ability to see out games. The manager's handling of this situation and his team selection against Arsenal will be closely watched as he looks to address these problems.