Frank Lampard insists Billy Gilmour has earned his spot in Chelsea’s starting XI for the side’s Premier League clash with Everton.
Gilmour, 18, produced a man-of-the-match performance against Liverpool in midweek as goals from Willian and Ross Barkley booked Chelsea’s place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The Blues are short of options in midfield, with Jorginho (suspension), N’Golo Kante (groin) and Mateo Kovacic (leg) all unavailable, and Lampard has had little option but to keep faith in the talented young Scot.
But the Chelsea head coach has stressed that Gilmour ‘deserves’ to continue his run in the team for this afternoon’s encounter with Everton.
Asked whether it was an ‘easy decision’ to start Gilmour, Lampard told Sky Sports: ‘On one hand, yes, because he deserves to play, on the other hand we’ve got injuries and suspensions in the same area.
‘But I don’t want that to be the reason Billy’s playing. Billy’s playing because he’s trained well all season.
‘I said that pre-Liverpool he played very well and I expect more of the same and he’s young so I don’t want to heap too much on his shoulders but I believe in him and I believe in the midfield.
‘We’re young in there today but hopefully there’s a lot of energy and quality.’
Lampard hopes Chelsea are able to use their FA Cup victory over Liverpool as momentum in the English top flight after a disappointing 2-2 draw at Bournemouth last weekend.
‘It was big on the night but they’re only big longer-term if you follow through and carry on so we need to realise what it was that made us win that game,’ Lampard added.
‘Everyone that speaks to me after the game was speaking about the energy of the group on and off the ball, the aggressive nature which then ignites the stadium and got the atmosphere of the place up so I think we need to know that’s our responsibility.
‘We have to try and recreate that again and again.’
from Football – Metro https://ift.tt/39xhTyI
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