Liam Rosenior is going through his toughest spell as Chelsea manager. When he took over from Enzo Maresca as manager of the Blues, the team responded well and the results were positive. In fact, up until March, the team was performing as expected, as they were well placed to finish the Premier League in the top five and were still in contention in the cup competitions.

But the Champions League round of 16 tie against PSG dealt Chelsea a heavy blow. The aggregate score was 8-2 in favour of the Parisians. Losing to the reigning champions was a possibility, but the manner in which it happened highlighted the gulf in quality between the two sides.

From that point on, the crisis has erupted. Five consecutive defeats in the Premier League have seen even Rosenior’s side lose sixth place to Brighton, who thrashed them on the final matchday. Now they can only hope to qualify for the Europa League, and they have two routes: via the Premier League or by winning the FA Cup.

Chelsea’s results since the Champions League round of 16

• PSG 5-2 Chelsea
• Chelsea 0-1 Newcastle
• Chelsea 0-3 PSG
• Everton 3-0 Chelsea
• Chelsea 7-0 Port Vale
• Chelsea 0-3 Manchester City
• Chelsea 0-1 Manchester United
• Brighton 3-0 Chelsea

The whole season hinges on the FA Cup

At present, the places securing entry to next season’s Champions League are seven points away with four matches remaining, and will be ten if Liverpool beat Crystal Palace at Anfield Road. Therefore, their aim is to finish sixth to qualify for the Europa League. Seventh place will also secure a place in Europe’s second-tier competition if Manchester City win the FA Cup.

Their other option, which would allow them to salvage part of the season, is to win the FA Cup. The winner secures a direct place in the Europa League. This weekend they face Leeds United in the semi-final at Wembley, and at the moment it is the most important match of the season for Chelsea. Should they win, they will face the winner of the semi-final between Manchester City and Southampton at Wembley on 16 May.

This month of competition will determine the future of Liam Rosenior, who took charge in January and signed a contract running until June 2032 – a deal spanning more than six years. But the truth is that his time at Stamford Bridge may be limited to just six months. If he fails to win the FA Cup and misses out on the Europa League, it is almost certain he will not continue as manager of the Blues next season.

Chelsea’s remaining fixtures until the end of the season

• Chelsea - Leeds United (FA Cup semi-final)
• Chelsea - Nottingham Forest
• Liverpool - Chelsea
• Chelsea - Tottenham
• Sunderland - Chelsea
• Possible FA Cup final