Chelsea interim head coach Calum McFarlane has delivered an upbeat injury update on Levi Colwill, describing the defender as "looking brilliant" as he nears a long-awaited return to action. The 23-year-old has been sidelined since August after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during pre-season, but after more than a month back in full first-team training and two appearances for the under-21s, there's growing optimism he could feature in the season's final five matches.
"When someone's had an injury for that long, you have to be patient," McFarlane explained. "We just need to manage his minutes, not push him too much. We don't want to risk re-injuring him, but he looks brilliant and is in a really good place. We are really hopeful we will see him before the end of the season."
With Nottingham Forest visiting Stamford Bridge on Monday, Colwill could make his comeback—though McFarlane stressed the need for careful management of his workload. For a Chelsea side navigating a turbulent campaign, the return of a talented young centre-back offers a much-needed boost at the back.
Meanwhile, Cole Palmer is also working his way back to full fitness after a minor hamstring setback sidelined him for the 3-0 defeat to Brighton—a result that ended Liam Rosenior's brief tenure as head coach. The 23-year-old forward was only fit enough for the bench in Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final win over Leeds United, but McFarlane is confident he'll soon rediscover his spark.
"It has been a difficult period for him," McFarlane admitted, acknowledging the mounting pressure on Palmer to find form ahead of England manager Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad selection. "It is the first injury he has pretty much ever had in his career. There are obviously games he can impact more, but there have also been plenty of occasions where he has created good chances for others. He can't control whether those chances are finished—he can only put the ball where it needs to be."
Despite the setback, McFarlane remains bullish about Palmer's potential. "He's had some really good games over the past three months. It is just a case of building consistency, so overall I'm really pleased with him. He is still a top, top player—one of the best in the world. I've got no concerns about him being ready to impact games."