Monday’s briefing: Liam Rosenior reportedly closing in on Chelsea job

Liam Rosenior may be hot favourite to replace Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, but the size of his potential task was made plain after the latest round of Premier League matches on Sunday.

Few of his prospective contemporaries were happy, chiefly Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, who appears to have fallen out with some members of the club’s technical staff and sought to restate his position after a 1-1 draw at Leeds.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot bemoaned a lack of striking options after Hugo Ekitike was forced to miss the draw at Fulham, while Thomas Frank was put on the back foot about Brennan Johnson’s big money departure to Crystal Palace.

Rosenior reportedly set for Chelsea talks

Chelsea have declined to comment on reports Rosenior has flown to London for talks on Monday about replacing Maresca as their new head coach.

Rosenior is hot favourite to take over from temporary boss Calum McFarlane, who watched his side snatch an injury-time equaliser to draw 1-1 at Manchester City on Sunday.

Tijjani Reijnders looked to have secured a hard-fought win for Pep Guardiola’s men, but Enzo Fernandez struck in added time to give the visitors a deserved draw.

McFarlane said: “Everyone thought we were coming here to lose. No-one thought we stood a chance.

“But we knew the character and the talent in this group and they’ve really dragged it through. I can’t speak highly enough about the characters in the group.”

Amorim shows frustration after Manchester United draw at Leeds

Amorim expressed frustration with his role at Manchester United after Matheus Cunha cancelled out Brenden Aaronson’s strike and earned his side a 1-1 draw at Leeds.

Amorim, who had previously questioned the club’s transfer plans, appeared to suggest he requires more of a say in recruitment policy amid fears of a breakdown in relations with some behind-the-scenes staff.

“I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach,” Amorim said.

“I was really clear on that and that is going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal. That is my job. Not to be a coach.

“If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, we need to change the club.”

Frank defends decision to let Brennan Johnson leave Spurs

Frank defended Tottenham’s decision to sell Johnson after he watched Mohammed Kudus limp off in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland where they lacked attacking firepower.

Frank this week gave the green light to sell last season’s 18-goal hitman Johnson to Crystal Palace for £35million, a reduction on the £47.5m Spurs paid for him in 2023.

The 24-year-old has largely played second fiddle to Kudus this season, but the latter was forced off in the 19th minute with a left leg injury against Sunderland.

“You know, decisions are made and decisions I’m backing in every aspect,” said Frank.

“There’s always more bigger picture stuff to some of those decisions. Sometimes it can look like perfect timing. Sometimes it looks like not so perfect timing.”

Slot reveals striking issues after draw with Fulham

Slot said he felt unable to risk Ekitike in Liverpool’s dramatic 2-2 draw at Fulham with his attacking options stretched thin.

The striker had an MRI scan before travelling to London which revealed a minor issue and left Slot feeling he had no choice but to leave out the 23-year-old and start instead with Cody Gakpo up front.

Deprived of his three main goalscoring threats, his team looked limp in attack and threw away their chances of victory when Gakpo’s late effort was cancelled out by a wonder goal from Harrison Reed even deeper into injury time.

“He felt something during the training session so he went for an MRI scan,” said Slot of Ekitike. “We got the result when we were flying so we were hoping it was just DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness).

“Unfortunately we saw a little bit more (on the scan) and you cannot take a risk.”

Aberdeen part company with Jimmy Thelin

Aberdeen sacked manager Jimmy Thelin after Saturday’s defeat to Falkirk extended their winless run to five games.

The result left last season’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup winners eighth in the William Hill Premiership table and the club confirmed the Swede’s departure, along with his assistant Christer Persson, 24 hours later.

Thelin began his reign last season with 13 straight wins and 16 games unbeaten in all competitions, culminating in a memorable Cup win over Celtic on penalties over Hampden Park in May.

But the Falkirk loss proved the last straw for the Dons hierarchy and chairman Dave Cormack told the club’s official website: “In wishing Jimmy and Christer the very best for the future I want to thank them for delivering our first Scottish Cup win in 35 years last May.

“These memories will last a lifetime… however, after significant investment in recent windows, we have not kicked on in the way we hoped or expected following that success.”

What’s on today

Leicester face West Brom in the Championship, with respective managers Marti Cifuentes and Ryan Mason under mounting pressure.

Foxes fans are preparing to boycott the fixture in protest at their club’s failure to kick on this season, while Mason must end a dismal Baggies run of nine consecutive away defeats.

At the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt and Nigeria are strongly fancied to seal their places in the quarter-finals. They play Benin and Mozambique respectively.