Chelsea‘s top brass have already identified their dream candidate to replace Liam Rosenior in the Stamford Bridge dugout, according to reports. Rosenior is fighting a battle to save his skin after overseeing a dismal run of five straight Premier League defeats. It has seen the Blues slip to seventh in the table, five points adrift of the Champions League places as things stand.

Their ongoing slump has reportedly forced Chelsea bosses into an emergency meeting, bringing forward their initial plans to assess Rosenior’s future at the end of next season. There is now a real possibility that he could be sacked before this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United, but a final decision is yet to be made.

The former Strasbourg boss signed a six-and-a-half-year contract when he arrived in January, meaning Chelsea would need to shell out millions in compensation if the trigger is pulled.

Nevertheless, those in power in west London are already thinking about potential successors, with one name reportedly standing out above the rest.

They have identified Julian Nagelsmann as the ‘dream’ choice to take over if Rosenior is axed, according to TEAMtalk. It’s claimed the Germany boss is highly regarded by BlueCo and senior decision-making figures at the club.

Nagelsmann is only tied down until after this summer’s World Cup, meaning Chelsea could appoint him without paying compensation if his contract is not renewed.

The report adds that Blues chiefs may wait until the end of the season before deciding whether to relieve Rosenior of his duties.

It is not just results that will be assessed, but also how the squad responds to the current slump and whether or not there are any signs of progress.

Chelsea were dealt another crushing blow on Tuesday night as they suffered a one-sided defeat at the hands of Brighton, denting their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

After the final whistle, a furious Rosenior launched a scathing attack on his players, describing their collective display as unacceptable.

He added: “That’s indefensible, that performance tonight, the manner of the goals we conceded, the amount of duels that we lost, the lack of intensity in the team.

“Something needs to change drastically right now. The professionalism wasn’t there. It’s a really difficult night. The most difficult night not even just here, so far, at this magnificent football club, but in my career.

‘Some of the things I witnessed today, I never want to see again. I am accountable, I’ve always said that, but after tonight, I think the players as well need to have a look in the mirror for what they put in.

“We lost 80 per cent of duels. We didn’t win a header. Two of the goals come when we could head the ball. At any level, if you make those errors and lack of engagement, you’re not going to win games of football.

‘I saw commitment against Manchester United three days ago. We lost the game, but the performance was very, very good. Today was the complete opposite in every aspect. That’s what disappointed me the most.”

The golfing world has continued to turn following Rory McIlroy’s dramatic defence of his Masters crown. Having waited so long to complete the Grand Slam, the Northern Irish star now boasts two Green Jackets and six major titles to his name.

His next major target is the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, near Philadelphia, getting underway on May 14. Another strong contender at the second major of the year will be Matt Fitzpatrick, who continued his superb season by beating Scottie Scheffler in a play-off to win the RBC Heritage last weekend. Fitzpatrick returns to action this week, teaming up with his brother, Alex, at the Zurich Classic. Here’s a round-up of the latest golf news…

McIlroy skips another event

McIlroy has extended his post-Masters break by sitting out the Zurich Classic, which gets underway on Thursday. McIlroy, who also skipped the RBC Heritage, won the team event alongside close friend Shane Lowry in 2024 and competed again last year shortly after claiming the Green Jacket for the first time.

However, he will be absent from this year’s tournament in New Orleans, with Lowry instead pairing up with PGA Tour returnee Brooks Koepka. Defending champions Ben Griffin and Adam Novak and the Fitzpatrick brothers will also feature in a field that includes a number of lesser-known emerging talents.

Novak has defended the calibre of the field, saying: “You may not know some of the names in this tournament yet, but you will. There’s some kids playing in this tournament that you better get to learn their names sooner rather than later.”

No regrets for MacIntyre

Robert MacIntyre has set out his ambitions for the season following his Masters meltdown. The left-hander was caught on camera aiming a middle-finger gesture at the 15th green after sending his approach shot into a pond on his way to a quadruple-bogey nine.

The Ryder Cup hero was reprimanded by Augusta National officials at the end of his opening-round 80. MacIntyre carded a 71 in round two but, at seven over, missed the cut and then declined to speak to the press before heading home.

The Scot, who recently became a father, has since opened up about his aspirations for the season but has no intention of reining in his fiery nature. MacIntyre is firmly focused on sharpening his iron play and, beyond major glory, is targeting victory at the Scottish Open and a place at the PGA Tour Finals.

However, the 29-year-old has few regrets about his outburst in Augusta. MacIntyre told the BBC: “It’s part of who I am. I try, I probably should limit it or I should try and maybe wait a couple of seconds longer before I do have my outburst. But for me to try to compete at the top level, I need to get my frustration out or else it’s going to affect my performance.”

PGA Tour event to be dropped

The PGA Tour is set to abandon its Hawaii events for the first time in 63 years. This year’s season opener, The Sentry in Maui, was called off due to drought issues.

No alternative venue could be secured, meaning the season got underway with the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. The Sentry and the Sony Open are traditionally paired together, but the PGA Tour is weighing up a move of the latter to the seniors’ Champions Tour alongside the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

Meanwhile, Sentry Insurance could assume sponsorship of the event at Torrey Pines, near San Diego, which is poised to become the new season opener.