(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Fri 3 April 2026 16:30, UK

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Liam Rosenior is set to name a strong Chelsea XI for the visit of Port Vale in the quarter-final of the FA Cup this weekend.

The Blues boss has been feeling the heat amid a rocky run of late, with his team tasting defeat in each of their last four outings.

The 41-year-old has seen the pressure on his position ramp up in the aftermath of his team’s brutal Champions League exit at the hands of PSG, and the FA Cup is now their final chance to end the season with a trophy to show for their efforts.

League One’s bottom club Port Vale are the visitors to Stamford Bridge in Saturday’s evening kick-off, but they will be buoyed by their victory over Sunderland in the last round.

Rosenior will be desperate to avoid a huge upset in Chelsea’s next outing, a result which could prove catastrophic for his long-term future at the helm.

Chelsea make changes but crucial stars still involved

Ex-Everton chief executive Keith Wyness told Football Insider earlier this week that the Chelsea dressing room are unhappy at the moment, and Rosenior’s position could be under threat if their recent collapse continues.

The boss will know that defeat to Port Vale could be hugely damaging for his own prospects, and the FA Cup is their final chance to win a trophy.

Rosenior is well-placed to try and save face with a strong team, with a view to ensuring that his team avoid embarrassment at all costs.

With that in mind, the influential duo of Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer could retain their places from the off, with the boss hoping to get the game won and bring them off as early as possible.

Josh Acheampong and Tosin Adarabioyo both started the victory over Wrexham in the previous round, and could be recalled to the XI this time, with Malo Gusto and Marc Cucurella set to be rested.

Andrey Santos is likely to come into the midfield instead of Enzo Fernandez, who Rosenior has ruled out ahead of the game.

In attack, Rosenior will want to leave Palmer on the field until the game is won, but Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro could drop out for Estevao and Liam Delap respectively.

The spine of Chelsea’s team could look relatively familiar to their last Premier League XI, as Rosenior looks to try and strike a balance between ensuring progression, but also getting minutes for some of the squad players.

What can Blues fans expect from Port Vale?

Chelsea should be facing an easy assignment on paper this weekend, but the reality of Port Vale’s current situation means that they could pose an unexpected threat to the Blues.

Jon Brady’s side are currently on a run of just one win in their last six league games, and given that they are now 14 points clear of safety in League One, their relegation is imminent.

However, the FA Cup has provided salvation for the Stoke-based outfit this term, as they have downed both Bristol City and Sunderland on home turf to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954.

A trip to Stamford Bridge is undoubtedly another challenge altogether compared to that pair of home games, but Brady’s side are surely set to pour everything that they have left in the tank into this weekend’s clash.

Their fate in the league is effectively already sealed, but the chance to spring a shock on Chelsea and book their own place at Wembley will surely see their spirits high at the start of the game.