Liam Rosenior holds meeting with players about 'washing hands' as virus hits Chelsea camp ahead of 'busy period'

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It has been a significant week for Chelsea, marked by the appointment of Liam Rosenior as head coach. Few would have expected one of his earliest tasks to involve reminding players about washing their hands. After a virus swept through the Chelsea camp, leaving players and staff bedbound, Rosenior gave an update ahead of matches against Brentford and Pafos.

Chelsea doctors doing everything to contain virus - Rosenior

Video credit: SNTV

The Chelsea squad is battling a virus, according to new head coach Liam Rosenior, who has taken things into his own hands in a bid to combat the germs.

Following his appointment as Chelsea boss last week, Rosenior saw his team thump Charlton 5-1 in the Emirates FA Cup, before a 3-2 Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal in his first home game in charge.

Both Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens were missing from the squad in Wednesday's defeat to the Gunners, who take the advantage into next month's second leg.

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Rosenior, who was also without captain Reece James, Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo due to injury, admitted on Thursday that a virus has struck down several players and he held a meeting about hand washing.

"[Delap] is still at home at the moment, recovering, as is Jamie Gittens," Rosenior told reporters.

"Our club doctors are doing everything they can to contain what looks like a virus. Some members of our staff have gone down as well.

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Video credit: SNTV

"I had a meeting today with the players about washing your hands, the basics, which is really important and hopefully we can contain it.

"We have a busy period, so we need everyone ready to go, fit and healthy."

Rosenior is trying to stabilise the team's form following a poor run of results, which has seen them win just three times in their last 13 matches - 11 of which were under axed boss Enzo Maresca.

The virus has struck at the wrong time for Rosenior, who is preparing to lead Chelsea into a difficult run of fixtures.

First, they host in-form Brentford in a bid to leapfrog Keith Andrews' side, who are unbeaten in six, before they welcome Pafos in the UEFA Champions League next Wednesday night, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

A trip to Crystal Palace comes after that, before they return to European action with a trip to Napoli - also live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - as they look to secure a place in the last 16.

A home league match against West Ham follows, before Rosenior takes on Mikel Arteta's side once more on February 3, in a bid to overturn the first-leg deficit and reach the Wembley final.

"We have to be the best team we can be in this moment," added Rosenoir.

"And I have to go after certain things because I don't have training time. The team are recovering today and I have probably half an hour tomorrow, in terms of the physical load, to work on things and patterns in training.

"But there are other things I can go after in terms of what we look like, and what we stand for as a group. With the players I have here, we can make meaningful progress in a short space of time."

Stream the Premier League, Men's and Women's FA Cup. UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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