LONDON — The sight of Romeo Lavia intercepting the ball, skipping through challenges and then providing a precise midfield-splitting pass was a joy to watch on Saturday as he dominated midfield as Chelsea surged to a vital win against Manchester United.

The Belgian midfielder, still just 22 years old, was singled out for special praise by Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso after the game as Lavia won the ball back to set up Morgan Rogers’ crucial opener and was everywhere in midfield as he drove Chelsea to victory.

“From a midfielder point of view it has been a top, top performance,” Alonso told TNT Sports in the UK of Lavia’s display. “He’s done so many things right, he’s been always connecting the defense with the attacking players, he’s been able to switch the game, he’s taken many right decisions, he’s been very dynamic, competitive.

“So I think that not just this game, for the last two, three weeks he’s been playing at a very good level and I’m very happy for him and today he deserves a huge recognition for his performance.”

Happy Lavia praises Palmer, Rogers

After the game Pro Soccer Talk asked Lavia if this was the kind of performance that sums up what he is all about.

“As long as I feel good I will do everything possible to help the team to get this type of result. I am feeling good so, yeah, I’m very happy with my performance,” Lavia said.

So often Lavia not only won the ball back but then calmly got Chelsea on the front foot and found either Morgan Rogers or Cole Palmer, their goalscorers on the day, to get his side going in attack.

Pro Soccer Talk asked Lavia about how nice it is to have those star playmakers available for him to pick out when he wins the ball back.

“First of all I would like to highlight that these two players [Rogers and Palmer] have done an amazing job not just on the ball but off the ball as well,” Lavia said. “That is very important because it helps the team a lot, more than people think. They see the offensive parts of these players but overall they had a great performance and I am very happy to have them in front of me because you know, the quality they have I know that at some point something will happen.”

Lavia was smiling when he praised Rogers and Palmer and he’s in a very good place.

Fitness concerns hopefully in the past for Lavia

He is thriving and fit and back in the Belgium side for the upcoming international break, as his consistent start to the season has been rewarded.

In the League Cup at Liverpool in midweek Lavia completed his first full 90 minutes as a Chelsea player. He’s been at Chelsea since the summer of 2023, but has been plagued by injuries and has never really got going.

Lavia was asked if he is feeling the best he’s felt at Chelsea.

“You can say so, yeah,” Lavia answered. “All I can say is that the work we are doing with all the people at the club is going well so far. It is just about keeping it going this way.”

But Lavia believes there is still plenty for him to improve on and is excited to keep working with Alonso on the training ground.

Plenty more to come from Lavia and Chelsea under Alonso

“There is loads [to improve on]. I am still young so there are a lot of areas where I can definitely improve. We try to tick them off during the week and it is a process. We assess the game and then see what could be better,” Lavia added.

Lavia’s partnership with Moises Caicedo in midfield could be crucial to Chelsea getting better and finishing in the top four and being back in the Champions League.

Chelsea have struggled for balance early in the season under Alonso but Caicedo and Lavia can provide the extra defensive cover needed to allow their attacking players to flourish.

“Moi is an exceptional player. I really enjoy playing with him. Obviously I’ve had these injuries and stuff but it’s been three or four years I’ve been playing with Moi so I know him, he knows me, so I am very, very happy to play alongside him,” Lavia said.

And how much more is there to come from Chelsea?

Alonso recently said they will be a very different team by the end of the season. Does Lavia agree with that?

“We know where we want to be, like the manager said, at the end of the season,” Lavia said. “We respect that it is a process at the same time. We don’t get ahead of ourselves and we keep the work going during every week because that is where the game is prepared.”