Callum McFarlane waxed lyrical over Levi Colwill's performance during Chelsea's 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime.
Colwill made his first Premier League start for Chelsea since May 2025 after recovering from an ACL injury that he suffered during the Club World Cup in August.
The 23-year-old played 45 minutes in Chelsea's 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Monday, instantly making a difference to a weak back line with his precision passing and defensive capabilities.
He was then even better playing alongside Jorrel Hato and Wesley Fofana as the Blues secured a much-needed point at Anfield to stop a six-match losing streak.
Calum McFarlane lauds 'exceptional' Levi Colwill
An ACL injury is one of the most difficult ones to recover from, but Colwill has returned to the defence like he's never left and made a massive difference, including against Liverpool.
Combining his incredible physicality with a calmness in possession, the Englishman's composure has been missed all season, with McFarlane praising the defender for what was an 'exceptional' performance in a huge game.
"I thought he was exceptional today. I thought there was a lot of good performances. I'm really pleased for Levi. He's been injured for a long time. The first 90 minutes, Anfield away, when the team aren't particularly in their best form, to go and put that level of performance in, it doesn't only show his level of talent and quality, it shows his mentality. So, I'm really pleased for Levi, as I am for the whole group and the team. I thought it was a really good performance."
Colwill has been earmarked as a potential future Chelsea captain due to his impressive leadership, and he's arguably already set the standard for the Blues in just 135 minutes of football.
Although he's still only 23, the young defender has shown composure beyond his years and he will have ambitions of making Thomas Tuchel's England squad in the closing stages of the campaign.
Colwill's stats vs Liverpool
McFarlane's decision to start with a three-man defence worked a treat against the Reds, as it unlocked Marc Cucurella's attacking talent down the left wing.
An extra defender also helped nullify Liverpool's threat in wide areas, with Colwill's introduction as a central centre-back proving pivotal.
Levi Colwill's stats vs Liverpool |
|---|
90 minutes played |
65/73 accurate passes (89%) |
11 defensive contributions |
3 interceptions |
6 clearances |
4/4 duels |
The above Sofascore statistics prove how outstanding he was, and he's now nailed on to start in the FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 16.
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