Josh Acheampong made his third Premier League start for Chelsea against Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.
Acheampong was selected by head coach Enzo Maresca after the recent injuries to Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo.
The 19-year-old stepped up in their absences and produced an impressive performance befitting a far more experienced defender.
Shortly after the final whistle, Acheampong explained what advice Maresca gave him before the match.
Jean-Philippe Mateta shoots past Josh Acheampong during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Crystal Palace
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Josh Acheampong shares Enzo Maresca’s advice before Chelsea vs Crystal Palace
Acheampong is Chelsea’s most exciting homegrown prospect in the current first-team squad, ahead of winger Tyrique George.
He consistently proved in the Conference League last season that he can be a valuable squad player, but starting in the Premier League is a different challenge.
Acheampong revealed what Maresca told him before the Palace game to ensure he dealt with top striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
“He just said to play my game, be strong, be physical. Mateta is strong, so to be ready and prepared for it,” said the defender.
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He continued: “Yeah, I was definitely expecting [Mateta to be physical]. I had to be ready for it. There were a lot of one-versus-one situations, but it was all alright.”
Acheampong also shared his opinion on Chelsea’s general performance against Palace, suggesting that the attackers were at fault for not winning the game.
“I think we played well. I think we had a lot of chances, and if we had taken them, we should have won the game,” he added.
Maresca’s decision to play Acheampong alongside Trevoh Chalobah in the centre of Chelsea’s defence paid off, as they kept a clean sheet against a strong Palace team.
“Josh was very good,” Maresca told the Chelsea website. “We showed our confidence in Josh last year as he played some games for us.
“Today, he did very well; he dealt with Mateta very well, so overall, he had a good game.”
The Blues boss also said to Sky Sports: “They played very well, they didn’t concede anything. Josh [Acheampong] did well, he is very young and he is going to be a good player for this club.”
Maresca’s faith in Acheampong will really be put to the test if Wesley Fofana and/or Tosin Adarabioyo are available against West Ham on Friday.