Levi Colwill interview: Chelsea defender on what has made him unbeatable under Enzo Maresca

Levi Colwill has barely missed a beat for Chelsea this season. While others have been moved around in search of solutions, he’s been one of the first names on the team sheet. The 21-year-old is justifying why the club moved mountains to ensure Brighton didn’t get their way when they tried to include him in the Moises Caicedo deal.

For Levi, there was no doubt his gift lay in his first-time use of the ball, but what has been an immediate improvement this season is the assuredness with which he’s operated. Against Brighton, he was tasked with marking the physical Danny Welbeck, who is often a tough customer. Colwill excelled by always giving himself a yard of space and ensuring he was in the right position to win the first ball whenever it was sent in Brighton’s direction. His form reflects Chelsea’s overall improvement, and when asked about the key factor behind this progress, he credited the manager's influence.

He told LondonWorld: "I think it's due to the gaffer. He’s given me a lot of confidence and put a lot of trust in me to play the football, to start it from the back. I can just say thank you to him for letting me play my football and for being good at pushing me."

Chelsea’s strong start to the season has surprised many, especially when all the talk in the summer revolved around the large squad size, power struggles behind the scenes, and owners wanting to buy out each other's shares. But Colwill, who has played every minute as Chelsea has risen to fourth in the league table, explained that the competitiveness in training sessions is a major factor in their success.

He revealed that players are constantly pushing for minutes, meaning that those in the starting lineup have to stay sharp and earn their spots. Colwill added: "Players are knocking on the gaffer’s door every day saying, 'Why am I not playing?' So in training, you’ve got to be at your best, and when you step onto the pitch at the Bridge or wherever you’re playing, you’ve got to be at your best to keep your shirt. That’s how it should be."

Colwill also had some special words for Cole Palmer, who scored four times and almost single-handedly won the game for Chelsea against the Seagulls. Asked what Palmer was like in training, Colwill jokingly said he puts him in his "back pocket" during practice at Cobham before admitting he is something special.

On his unstoppable teammate, Colwill said: "He's an amazing player, and you know the best players get you out of sticky situations. That’s what he did today with four big goals. They helped us so much and got us the three points at the end of the day."

Chelsea will hope that both Colwill and Palmer continue to go from strength to strength, vindicating the decision to back them and hand them long-term contracts in West London.