Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia and Valentin Barco of Chelsea react after the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Everyone associated with Chelsea will be heartbroken after another disappointing result. Having lost 2-0 to Tottenham at Stamford Bridge last weekend, the Blues would have greatly benefited from a victory against Liverpool.
Xabi Alonso’s side put in a solid performance at Anfield, but it was not enough to reach the EFL Cup quarter-finals, with Wesley Fofana missing the decisive penalty in the shootout. However, Chelsea can take one positive from the game, as Romeo Lavia took a major step forward.
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Romeo Lavia gives Chelsea a major reason for optimism
Injuries have completely derailed Romeo Lavia’s Chelsea career. The central midfielder has suffered ankle, hamstring and thigh injuries, among other issues, during his three years at Stamford Bridge.
What makes Lavia’s injury troubles even more frustrating is that he has regularly shown his quality when fit. The 22-year-old would be an ideal partner for Moises Caicedo, but Chelsea have rarely been able to field the pair together.
Can you remember a worse performance than Wesley Fofana's vs Liverpool? Tell us your ratings in the comments 👇
Fofana MUST leave Chelsea club IMMEDIATELY. He must NOT play for Chelsea again Alonso MUST start giving Estevao enough playing times in 4:2:3:1 & 4:3:3 Formation
Lavia’s injury record has been so concerning that no Chelsea manager has trusted him to play a full 90 minutes in a competitive match since he joined in August 2023. This has become a major talking point over the last year or two, with fans eager to see him overcome that hurdle.
New manager Xabi Alonso even admitted earlier this season that completing 90 minutes was a mental hurdle Lavia needed to overcome. Thankfully, he can now put that concern to rest after playing the entire game against Liverpool on Wednesday night.
The Belgian not only completed his first 90 minutes for Chelsea but also worked hard throughout the game; it even looked like a full match was nothing out of the ordinary for him. Lavia earned a 7/10 rating in The Chelsea Chronicle’s player ratings for his impressive display at Anfield.
Blues fans will now eagerly await news on how Lavia’s body responds to the demands of the Liverpool game over the coming days. If he recovers well, Alonso will surely be tempted to start him against Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday.