Chelsea needed a stunning 95th-minute goal from 18-year-old substitute Estevão to secure a hard-fought victory against Liverpool on Saturday. The win meant a great deal to the supporters, but perhaps even more to Enzo Maresca, who had to finish the match with Jorrel Hato and Reece James as his centre-backs.
Maresca had initially started with Josh Acheampong and Benoît Badiashile at the heart of the defence. That decision wasn’t by choice either. Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Levi Colwill were already sidelined with injuries. Trevoh Chalobah, who had picked up a straight red card against Brighton, was suspended.
Everything was going to plan until the 53rd minute when Badiashile went down injured. It was a particularly frustrating blow, as the 24-year-old had been having an excellent game. But things went from bad to worse when Acheampong also had to be withdrawn less than 15 minutes later.
With no other senior centre-backs available, Maresca turned to Hato to fill the gap in central defence, although he is viewed as more of a left-back. James filled in as well.
From outcast to leader: Trevoh Chalobah's redemption at Chelsea
With five centre-backs now unavailable, Chalobah is suddenly the only fit senior option left. The irony? He was the one the club was actively trying to offload not too long ago. Yet now, the Cobham graduate is the one expected to lead the backline in the coming weeks.
Chalobah’s 2024/25 campaign was turbulent, having been loaned to Crystal Palace at the start of the season. But when injuries struck in January, he was recalled. He played regularly upon his return, contributing significantly to Chelsea’s successful top-four push.
This season, he’s become a regular starter, partly due to Colwill’s injury before the campaign even started, but largely because of his own solid performances. So far, Chalobah has featured in six league matches, only missing the one game following his red card.
And he’s been pretty good. Better than most give him credit for. The 26-year-old has won a remarkable 77% of his ground duels, and no opponent has dribbled past him in the Premier League this season. Chelsea’s defence may be depleted, but with Chalobah, they are in safe hands.
There’s a certain poetry to Chelsea now relying on a player they once considered without a future at the club. Some fans still remain unconvinced, believing he should have been on his way out. But Chalobah has always delivered consistency, something Maresca’s side desperately needs right now.
That said, he’ll need to keep a cool head in the coming weeks. As the senior figure in defence, he can’t afford to repeat mistakes like his rash challenge that led to the red card against Brighton.
In the end, Chalobah’s story is a dramatic one. From being on the "we have enough centre-backs, you can leave" list to the “we’re depending on you” list. That’s a quick turnaround. And frankly, he should’ve been on the latter all along.