Chelsea progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win over Championship side Hull City on Saturday evening – and some Blues fans were particularly impressed by the brief cameo made by 18-year-old Billy Gilmour.
It was far from the most convincing win for Frank Lampard’s side. Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi opened the scoring before Fikayo Tomori added a second in the 64th minute. A late Kamil Grosicki goal made for a nervy end, but the Blues held on for an important win.
Once again, Chelsea moved the ball too slowly and lacked the cutting edge to break down a strong Hull defence. When Gilmour came on with around 20 minutes to play, he controlled the midfield and made a serious impression on some fans.
The young Scottish midfielder has been in and around the first team this season, making five appearances in all competitions. His quality on the ball helped Chelsea remain in control despite some late Hull pressure. He looked like a player well beyond his years.
Gilmour completed 17 of 18 attempted passes and did not stick out in a game full of players with far more senior experience. Lampard was keen to praise the young star after the game. As reported by the club website, he said: ”I thought Billy Gilmour was the best player on the pitch for the period of time he was on the pitch.”
It is clear to see the potential that the central midfielder has. He will be learning from the best in training and could be the next academy star to break into the first team.
Here are some Blues fans on Gilmour:
https://twitter.com/CFCRobL/status/1221154975306469378
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