Billy Gilmour said that he had realised a dream when, during the winter break, Frank Lampard pulled him to one side and said he would be a permanent fixture of his first team squad from that moment on. With performances like tonight, he has settled quickly in dreamland.
“Billy is playing because he deserves to play,” said Lampard before kick-off. Gilmour repaid his manager with interest.
The diminutive Scot, anchoring a midfield against players far larger than himself, made his mark swiftly.
Gilmour is a smart operator on the ball, skipping easily past 31-year-old Adam Lallana with a cute first touch in midfield and often looking to move the Blues forward with well crafted passes. He also possesses plenty of bite.
The 18-year-old stepped across fellow youngster Curtis Jones to claim the ball for the Liverpool midfielder and held nothing back minutes later when flying into a challenge with his counterpart on the edge of the Reds box.
There was no fear from his Chelsea team-mates at trusting him with the ball in tight spots, quick thinking and clever first touches meant possession was in safe hands. Gilmour himself was not shy to bark orders at the experienced internationals around him, either.
The youngster did not stop working, racing back late in the first half to skip in front of Sadio Mane for a last ditch challenge in the Chelsea penalty box.
With Jorginho, whose introduction here saw Gilmour often move into a slightly more advanced role in the midfield three, suspended for the next two Premier League games and N’Golo Kante sidelined with an adductor injury, there is every chance of a full League debut against Everton on Sunday.
Despite tired legs in the second half Gilmour still showed a decisive touch, turning Fabinho before playing through Giroud, who fired into the side netting, late in the first half.
Chants of “One Billy Gilmour” from the Matthew Harding end began to spread in the second half, and it will no doubt be ringing around Stamford Bridge in the very near future.
