You wouldn’t go as far as suggesting Chelsea had turned a corner after they edged past rivals Leeds United to reach the 2026 FA Cup final, but interim manager Calum McFarlane had seemingly got a tune out of a group of players that lost interest under Liam Rosenior.

That positivity from Wembley was sapped from the Blues when a heavily-rotated Nottingham Forest team inflicted a sixth-straight Premier League defeat. It was another stark reminder of how swiftly Chelsea, who were embarking on a promising path with Enzo Maresca leading the way, have fallen.

BlueCo’s project has reached a crossroads, no matter if the club adds to a trophy next week.

McFarlane will doubtless have an eye on the domestic cup final when his team make the trip to Merseyside for what isn’t a particularly daunting trip to Anfield.…