Given Chelsea had just two days’ rest before their Premier League clash with Leicester City, the Blues will be delighted to have put another three points on the board.
Enzo Maresca’s side returned to the top four in the league with a 1-0 win over the Foxes at Stamford Bridge, where they were certainly made to work hard for the result.
Marc Cucurella’s fantastic goal seperated the sides on the hour mark, after Cole Palmer’s woes continued with his first missed penalty of his Chelsea career.
Some positive news for the Blues was the return of Wesley Fofana to the starting squad, playing his first game since limping off against Aston Villa at the start of December.
Chelsea fans were very impressed by Fofana, who played 72 minutes in a less-familiar right-back position.
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
This was due to the absence of Malo Gusto and Reece James due to injury and illness respectively, however the Frenchman was preferred in the starting line-up to Josh Acheampong.
The youngster specialises playing anywhere on the right of defence, however has not started a game for the Blues since the 2-2 draw with Bournenmouth in the middle of January.
In the seven league games since then, Acheampong has just eight minutes of action to his name, including his very brief cameo against Leicester.
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It looked a genuine possibility that the youngster could be on his way out after he was frozen out of all club duties due to a hesitancy over signing a new deal.
However, the player, who has been described as ‘fantastic’ by Maresca already in his time at Stamford Bridge signed a new contract to extend his tenure at the club.
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
It was reported Maresca was crucial to Acheampong staying, however the defender will surely be thinking twice about his decision due to his lack of gametime of late.
Even with Gusto and James unavailable against a side who are set to be relegated from the Premier League, there was no start for one of Cobham’s most promising talents in recent years.
Acheampong admired by plenty of big clubs
When it looked as if he could be on the move, plenty of elite sides were credited as being interested in pouncing on the ongoing situation at Stamford Bridge.
Real Madrid are big fans of Acheampong, with the appeal of playing at the Bernabeu difficult to ignore for any player.
The likes of Liverpool and Bayern Munich were also prepared to move for the Chelsea man, and even though he has signed his new deal, things will have to change regarding his minutes if he is to see his long-term future in West London.
The second leg of the Conference League Round of 16 tie against Copenhagen could provide them the perfect chance to allow him some serious minutes on the pitch.