Former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is reportedly ‘open’ to the idea of becoming Chelsea manager. Chelsea’s hunt for a new head coach is now almost a month old, with club’s hierarchy beginning their search in the immediate aftermath of Liam Rosenior’s dismissal.

As it stands, no final decision has been made on who Chelsea will make their first choice to replace Alonso. The Spaniard led Bayer Leverkusen to their first ever Bundesliga title in a spectacular unbeaten 2023-24 season which also saw them win the DFB Pokal and reach the Europa League final, losing to Atalanta.

Chelsea travel to Anfield having lost six consecutive Premier League games – five of those without scoring. Can they buck the trend? Join Scott Murray

Liverpool host Chelsea on Saturday at Anfield as Arne Slot’s side aim to all but clinch a spot in the UEFA Champions League for next season.

A victory for Liverpool would guarantee Champions League soccer for 2026–27.

Chelsea will be without Robert Sanchez and Jesse Derry when they face Liverpool, with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho also expected to miss Saturday’s trip to Anfield.Sanchez received treatment and was substituted in the second half of Monday’s 3-1 home defeat by Nottingham Forest following a head-on-head collision with Morgan Gibbs-White.

Chelsea's Levi Colwill made a powerful statement on his return. What he said about his recovery ahead of the FA Cup final stood out

With all actual wingers injured and unavailable, interim head coach Calum McFarlane tasked Marc Cucurella with running down the left wing and the left channel. It wasn’t a complicated assignment, but it worked a treat to expose the weak right side of Liverpool’s defense, where Curtis Jones was playing as a makeshift right back.

In the second half of a season which has exposed fragile foundations and concerning areas of weakness at Chelsea, the club have had to make a song and dance about whatever is still functioning as it should.