Xabi Alonso has moved to calm any injury concerns over Levi Colwill after the defender was substituted in the 76th minute of Chelsea’s 6-3 Carabao Cup win over Leeds United.
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Alonso plays down injury worry
Colwill went straight down the tunnel after being replaced by Wesley Fofana, which naturally raised eyebrows given the timing. But Alonso was quick to dismiss any serious concern when asked about it after the match.
It is just from little things that he’s having, but we don’t expect that it’s an injury, Alonso said, according to the Standard.
That’s about as reassuring as it gets from a manager two days out from a Carabao Cup tie, and it should settle nerves heading into a busy stretch. You can read more on the wider Chelsea injury picture from the Leeds game for full context on who else was missing.
Context matters here too. Colwill had been an unused substitute in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, with Alonso deeming him fit enough for the bench but stopping short of starting him. He then came back into the side for the midweek win over Leeds before making way late on.
What it means for Hull and Brentford
Alonso’s update suggests Chelsea aren’t currently treating this as a confirmed injury, which is the headline takeaway. There’s a difference between managing minor niggles and nursing an actual problem, and right now this sits firmly in the former category based on what the manager has said.
That matters because Chelsea have important Premier League fixtures against Hull City and Brentford before the international break. Whether Colwill starts either of those games remains to be seen, and nothing in Alonso’s comments locks that in either way.
For more on how Alonso is shaping his back line, our piece on Chelsea’s defence after the Arsenal loss is worth a look. The next team news update ahead of Hull will tell us far more than speculation can right now.
In other news…
Chelsea’s injury update from the Leeds absentees list gives further detail on who else Alonso was missing midweek.
Our earlier Chelsea injury update from the Fulham game tracks the club’s fitness situation over recent weeks.
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Listen to the latest episode of the Chelsea News podcast for more on Alonso’s early weeks in charge.
