Fans turn on Rosenior as levels of toxicity rise following Chelsea's abject defeat at Brighton

I guess that's why they call it the Blues

Brighton 3-0 Chelsea

That's five league defeats in a row - all without scoring. Seven defeats in eight games. They now are not only seven points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, but are also behind Brighton, who overtake them to move into sixth place.

Their current run of defeats is their worst since 1912 - the year of the Titanic sinking. That stat invites the obvious headlines.

This is simply not the sort of summary you expect from the modern version of Chelsea we have become used to.

Champions League hopes - already looking slender before Tuesday night's pitiful defeat on the south coast - now look even more forlorn. The fallout financially of missing out could be a disaster, given the massive summer spend and long term contracts on which the owners BlueCo have mortgaged the club's future.

They were second best from the minute go at the Amex and a vast number of away supporters had quit the stadium before the final third goal in injury time - a goal which accurately reflected the Seagull's overwhelming superiority.

It is no way to prepare for an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, which now takes on even more significance.

For the first time, it was not just the owners receiving flak, it was the boss. He's only been in situ for 100 days or so but has looked increasingly out of his depth and as well as away fans voicing their rejection of him, social media has been awash with vitriol.

"By far [our worst performance]," Rosenior said. "It was unacceptable in every aspect of the game. Unacceptable in attitude. I keep coming out and defending the players but 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.

"We need to look in the mirror. I need to look in the mirror. I can't keep coming out here defending some of the things that we're seeing. Manchester United, the result wasn't there, but I felt we turned a corner, but the general attitude, spirit was lacking [tonight]. Determination was nowhere near enough for this club."

On X, one fan wrote: Ugly full time scenes. Chelsea players and Liam Rosenior booed. There's no coming [back] from this.

it's all over."

Another, Rory Jennings, said: "The worst manager that Chelsea have ever had. So out of his depth and his diary of a CEO, Linkedin, motivational speaker, marginal gains type nonsense makes a mockery out of us. Sack him tonight."

European Bob wrote: "He can rant and rave and be 'honest' in interviews but none of it matters now the players have binned him off. There's no coming back from that when the dressing room know you are out of your depth."