In the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, Chelsea fell to Manchester City.
Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium saw Chelsea eliminated from the Carabao Cup in the third round. Graham Potter, the manager of the Blues, did, however, see one significant bright spot on the evening when promising Chelsea defender Levi Colwill shone in Brighton’s 3-1 triumph over Arsenal in the same competition.
Colwill rose through the ranks of the Chelsea youth before spending last season on loan with Huddersfield in the Championship as the Terriers advanced to the play-off final but fell to Nottingham Forest. The 19-year-old has gone on loan to Brighton this season.
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Colwill has not yet made a Premier League start for the Seagulls, although he has made cameo appearances this season in triumphs over Manchester United and Leeds while sitting on the bench. However, the center-back started for Brighton when they defeated Forest Green in the Carabao Cup second round in August. And he received another chance to shine when the Gunners came to town.
At the Emirates Stadium, Colwill partnered with England star Lewis Dunk in the back four for the entire 90 minutes and put up an incredible performance. The kid made an impression in possession and was a rock in defense. He also played with a level of maturity far beyond his years.
Midway through the first half, Brighton trailed due to an early goal from Eddie Nketiah, but quickly rallied thanks to a goal from Danny Welbeck. After the break, goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Tariq Lamptey sealed Brighton’s passage into the competition’s fourth round.
After his commanding performance against Arsenal, Colwill, who will spend the entire season on loan at Brighton, will be aiming for more playing time in the second half of the season. And Potter will be closely monitoring the star in the hopes that he will go back to Stamford Bridge and emerge as a star of the Blues’ first team in the years to come.
With players like Thiago Silva, 38, Cesar Azpilicueta, 33, and Kalidou Koulibaly, 31, vying for starting positions, Potter now has an aging backline. And the Blues manager will be eager to give his club new life.
As Chelsea faced the Premier League champions at the Etihad Stadium, Potter changed up his starting lineup. But Pep Guardiola’s team proved to be too strong for their opponents, and goals from Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez in the second half sealed the victory.