18-year-old midfielder scores twice as Chelsea beat Brighton 2-1 in behind-closed-doors friendly
Carney Chukwuemeka scored twice as Chelsea beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Saturday, September 17.
According to The Evening Standard, the encounter was played at the Amex Stadium as Graham Potter led his side to victory against his previous employers.
As both sides had their Premier League games postponed this weekend, the clash was a chance for Potter to get to know his players better in a match-day environment.
Chelsea played Brighton in a behind-closed-doors friendly today. Those who started in the #UCL game vs Salzburg didn’t feature.
Chelsea won the game 2-1. Carney Chukwuemeka got both goals. #CFC
Both teams played a mix of senior and youth players during the clash as the likes of Christian Pulisic, Denis Zakaria, and Conor Gallagher were all given runouts.
Chukwuemeka is yet to make an appearance for the Blues since his £16.2 million move from Aston Villa in the summer. The 18-year-old is considered one of the hottest prospects in European football. He was a key part of the England squad that won the U19 European Championship this year.
The teenager scored in the final against Israel after he made 12 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa during their campaign last season. The attacking midfielder is under contract at Chelsea until 2028 and Potter does have a track record of giving youth players a chance.
Carney Chukwuemeka's hard work & patience needs to be rewarded. Whether it be as a starter or coming off the bench, bottom line it needs to be rewarded. We need to stamp out consistent mediocre performances. This is a poor look from Chelsea tolerating under performers regularly!!
Graham Potter claims Chelsea job "was too big to turn down"
Potter did an excellent job at Brighton, but ultimately decided to replace Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge. The Englishman led the Seagulls to a ninth position last season and the club have done some excellent recruitment in recent seasons.
His brand of attractive football and record of developing players has clearly impressed the Blues hierarchy. When asked why he decided to take the Chelsea job, Potter told a press conference (as per Sky Sports):
"We were happy, secure and at a good club but the challenge was too big to turn down. It felt right for me.
"I'll always be respectful and thankful for Brighton but this club is an amazing club. You only have to look at the tradition, quality, size, the ambition of the club to compete in the Champions League, to compete at the top of the Premier League. It's a completely different challenge to the one I've had.
"I'm very thankful for the ownership here putting their trust and belief in me to work with an exciting group of players, to be competitive and to put a team on the pitch our supporters are really proud of."
The Graham Potter era begins… 🔥💙 https://t.co/w1Dh3jAOnK