Chelsea can park one concern, at least for now. Levi Colwill does not appear to have suffered a significant injury after being taken off late in the 6-3 Carabao Cup win over Leeds United.
The centre-back had already prompted questions earlier in the week. He was on the bench for the 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, fit enough to be involved but not selected from the start. He then returned to the XI against Leeds, only to be replaced by Wesley Fofana in the 76th minute and head straight down the tunnel. That tends to get noticed.
Xabi Alonso moved quickly to kill the speculation. Asked if the change was injury-related, he said: “No, no. It is just from little things that he’s having, but we don’t expect that it’s an injury.” That is the key line. Not drama, not a setback, just management.
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Levi Colwill Status Brings Relief
Chelsea need Colwill available. The schedule before the international break brings Premier League fixtures against Hull City and Brentford, and Alonso can do without another defensive issue. Colwill has become an important part of Chelsea’s back line, and even a minor problem would have complicated selection.
The fact he started against Leeds suggests the concern was limited. The fact he was withdrawn suggests Chelsea saw no value in taking a risk once the game had opened up.
Carabao Cup Chaos Summed Up by Farke
The match itself was wild, loose and full of swings, exactly the sort of cup tie coaches hate and neutrals enjoy. Leeds boss Daniel Farke summed it up neatly. “I could give a 15-minute monologue about this game. Nuts. The message is that one small situation [the penalty] can change the world.”
That sounds about right. Nine goals, momentum shifts, and very little control. Chelsea got through it. More importantly, the Levi Colwill injury concern looks minor, and that matters more than anything else ahead of the next run of league games.
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