After a break for the festive and New Year period, our Under-18s are excited to resume their campaign and aiming for our first victory of 2025 when we host West Brom at Cobham at midday on Saturday.

The Blues' last outing in the Under-18 Premier League, back on 17 December, ended in disappointment, as we suffered a 4-2 defeat despite a promising first-half performance. Goals from Olutayo Subuloye and Frankie Runham gave us a 2-0 lead at the break, but Crystal Palace scored four goals in the second half to take all three points and end our five-game unbeaten run.

Emenalo was involved from the start in that match and has been a regular in the Under-18s side throughout this season. After signing his scholarship with Chelsea in July 2024, he has featured in 15 matches across both the Under-18s and Under-17s teams.

With training back in full swing at Cobham, our next game is just around the corner, and the Blues are eager to add to our tally of four league wins in 2024/25.

‘I’m feeling confident about Saturday’s fixture,’ said Emenalo. ‘The whole squad is looking forward to getting back into action after the short break. Having that time off for the New Year was good, it’s left me feeling refreshed and ready to go again.

'Looking ahead to West Brom, it’s a chance to show the progress we’ve made in training. In the lead-up to the game, we’ve focused on making sure we’ve fully recovered. Ending the year on a disappointing note wasn’t what we had hoped for.

‘We had the high of winning our FA Youth Cup fixture, but then we dipped against Crystal Palace and missed out on the points. That setback will fuel us to make sure we get the win.’

Chelsea currently sit in eighth position in the Under-18 Premier League southern table, with four wins, six defeats and one draw. Hassan Sulaiman’s squad includes a number of first-year scholars like Emenalo, who are experiencing their first season playing full-time at Under-18s level.

‘We have so many competitions and sometimes it feels like game after game,’ Emenalo continued. ‘I’ve been involved in both the Under-18s' and Under-17s' competitions, which can be a lot. There are positives, though. I enjoy playing games as it means we have to keep the momentum going and build on our last performances.

‘At times this season, we’ve played really well, but the scoreline doesn’t always reflect that. We want to bounce back and show what we’re capable of doing.

‘Starting the year with a win would be great and staying focused and concentrating on the win is how we’ll get the results we want. Getting the three points would be big, but I also just want to see a solid performance from myself.’

Since the start of the season, the close team bond within our Under-18s squad has been evident. Through the highs and lows of the campaign, including progress in various competitions, the relationships within the squad have grown stronger.

‘Having strong relationships is key to getting the best out of everyone,’ Emenalo explained. ‘As a team, we’ve experienced a lot together. We’ve had great wins but also had to mature and cope with the more difficult moments. Throughout it all, we’ve stuck together and we all want to work well as a team.

‘We’ve learned to stay united and embrace the journey, learning and developing each day. For me, I’ve learned the importance of bouncing back and the strength of character it takes to keep progressing. But, of course, we want to win.’

West Brom, our Saturday opponents, have had a challenging campaign, recording one win, four losses and five draws. Their last league outing ended in a draw against Reading and they will be looking for three points themselves this weekend, to move up from their current position of 13th in the table.

‘West Brom will be a challenge, but we’re up for it,’ Emenalo concluded. ‘Training has been the same as always. We approach each game with the same mentality, focused on giving our best performance. Since the break, we’ve mainly focused on fitness, so we’re ready to give everything on the pitch.

'It’ll be a good game and I’m looking forward to starting the year the right way.’

Watch our young Blues

Supporters worldwide can watch Chelsea in Under-18 Premier League action on Saturday afternoon against West Brom, kicking off at midday at Cobham. To access the live stream free of charge on the official Chelsea website or app, simply go to our Chelsea Under-18s vs West Bromwich Albion Match Centre, by clicking below or via the homepage shortly before kick-off.