The 30-year-old is deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea
Danny Drinkwater has been sent off for lashing out at a 16-year-old Tottenham prospect while playing for Chelsea Under-23s.
The red card marks a sad fall from grace for Drinkwater, who has gone from a Premier League winner with Leicester to playing reserve football in less than five years.
The game also saw Petr Cech return to goalkeeping duties at Chelsea for the first time since 2015. Cech is employed as a technical advisor at Stamford Bridge, but has also been registered as emergency cover this season.
Back in net 🤲@PetrCech pic.twitter.com/xIsFps5yVR
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 14, 2020
Cech’s return got off to a terrible start as he conceded after just two minutes. However, Chelsea clawed their way back to eventually run out 3-2 winners.
Their cause wasn’t made any easier with Drinkwater’s dismissal in the 74th minute, however. An awful lunge from Spurs’ 16-year-old prospect Alfie Devine should have been brushed off by the vastly-experienced Premier League winner.
However, Drinkwater instead proceeded to lash out at the teenager while getting up off the ground.
Both were shown straight red cards after the referee bizarrely refused to break up an ensuing melée.
Danny Drinkwater absolutely scything down a child. Cech then reluctantly hobbling over like a man who believes he is just far too old for this kind of exertion on a Monday night. Very enjoyable https://t.co/LAMWhU4Ctj
— Football Ramble (@FootballRamble) December 14, 2020
Alongside Chelsea teammate Ngolo Kante, Drinkwater was the fulcrum in midfield for Leicester when Claudio Ranieri’s side won the Premier League title in 2016.
He subsequently joined Chelsea in 2017 in a deal worth £35 million, but has struggled for game time throughout his tenure in London. He last made a Premier League appearance for Chelsea back in March 2018.
Drinkwater was sent on loan to Burnley and then Aston Villa, but both spells were unsuccessful. A rumoured summer transfer failed to materialise, leaving the former Manchester United academy star out in the cold.
He has been left out of Frank Lampard’s 25-man Premier League squad, and is playing with the Under 23s to maintain fitness.
