Report: Potter is likely to bench a 23-year-old Chelsea player against Palace in his debut league match

Trevoh Chalobah will always cherish the day he made his professional debut against Crystal Palace.

He not only made his Premier League debut for Chelsea on August 14, 2021, but the defender also finished off a strong performance with a stunning goal, stroking the ball from beyond the area into the bottom corner, according to report

The event served as a significant catalyst for his Stamford Bridge career. Chalobah signed a four-and-a-half-year contract to commit his long-term career to the club and secure his place in the senior team after a few more months of consistent play.

This Saturday, Chelsea face Crystal Palace again but Chalobah is unlikely to make a similar impact from the start. Instead, the 23-year-old is expected to be named on the bench, if he is involved at all.

The realities of playing for such a big club are hitting home. Chalobah hasn’t done much wrong. He boasts a remarkable record of playing 21 Premier League games for Chelsea and never being on the losing side. By all accounts, he registers very highly in the data Chelsea use to measure and compare player performances. But appearances have been hard to come by in 2022 — he has made just 12 out of a possible 41 in all competitions this calendar year, of which only one has come this season.

There have only been a few minor injuries during this period, so his absence is primarily down to decisions made by former coach Thomas Tuchel.

This was reportedly given a chance in a behind closed doors friendly against Brighton two weeks ago in a game the Blues won thanks to a Carney Chukwuemeka brace.

With new signings Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella all added to the options at the back who remained at Stamford Bridge this season, the defensive position looks a difficult one to break into, and Chalobah may be hopeful to showcase his ability on the ball better in a midfield role.