Reports in England claim Chelsea fans have begged Frank Lampard to start wonder kid Billy Gilmour against Manchester United this evening.
The Blues are looking for revenge in the Carabao Cup clash at Stamford Bridge after being hammered 4-0 at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the Premier League.
Both sides are expected to make numerous changes for the fourth-round tie, with Chelsea ready to hand starts to the likes of Olivier Giroud, Pedro and Ross Barkley.
However, supporters are especially eager to see 18-year-old Scot Gilmour in action.
The former Rangers youngster, who joined Chelsea in 2017, made his senior debut in the 2-2 draw against Sheffield United before putting in a top-quality performance in the 7-1 Carabao Cup third-round win over Grimsby Town.
Current midfield pivot Jorginho is in need of a rest after already playing in 14 games this term.
And fans are desperate to see Gilmour get another shot in the starting XI, with the teen recently catching the eye in the U23’s 3-1 win over rivals Arsenal, report The Sun.
Lampard said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday that there will be opportunities for players who haven’t been involved in recent matches, irrespective of their age.
Responding to the comments, one fan tweeted: “Gilmour madness incoming?”
Another said: “Billy Gilmour sznnnn.”
One noted: “Gilmooooooourrrrrr.”
Anothed quipped: “Gilmour (heart emoji).”
One observed: “Sounds like Gilmour will start.”
Another added: “Billy Gilmour???”
Getting the big boys once more. Unleash Billy Gilmour. He's the only guy I want to see play. https://t.co/poxFbqViev
This #CHEMUN League Cup tie would be an ideal game to rest Jorginho and play Billy Gilmour to let him test his preparedness. I'm sure Lampard is thinking along the same lines. #KTBFFH
Frank Lampard has revealed his belief in Kurt Zouma’s ability as the reason his rejected offers from Everton and other clubs in the summer.
And the Chelsea boss is delighted his French defender remained at Stamford Bridge, describing Zouma’s current form as “fantastic.”
The centre-back’s future was under the spotlight after returning from a successful loan spell at Everton last season.
The Toffees were desperate to sign Zouma on a permanent deal.
And it was reckoned he was attracting interest from elsewhere, with Man Utd also linked at one stage.
But Chelsea were unable to sign players over the summer, reinforcing Lampard’s decision to include Zouma in his senior squad.
And the 25-year-old is now thriving in the starting XI, already featuring in nine out of ten Premier League games this term.
Lampard said: “He has been fantastic.
“There was a belief that I had in Kurt because there was interest in the summer after we all know he had a very good loan at Everton last year.
“But I believed in him as I believed in Tomori – that is why I made the decisions I made pre-season in terms of where we were going to look defensively.
“It has been nice to get some stability, albeit because of injuries, between him and Fikayo in the last games.
“It has been good to get them playing together to see the little bond they are getting on and off the pitch.
“It is a nice little story and it must continue, I suppose.”
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claims Chelsea are reaping the rewards of their rising talents’ rich loan experiences.
United travel to Stamford Bridge in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday night to face an in-form Chelsea side searching for an eighth successive win in all competitions.
Academy graduates Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori are among those leading Chelsea’s charge this season, with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James also firmly in the picture.
And Solskjaer says the benefits many of those players have gained from successful loan spells in the Premier League, Championship or overseas is what currently sets them apart from the majority of his United youngsters, who have been promoted straight to the first team from the academy.
“It [Chelsea] is a very exciting team,” Solskjaer said. “Frank has got players that have been on loan for one or two seasons in the Championship.
“The difference between my youngsters is that they are almost stepping right now onto the scene. Axel Tuanzebe has missed the last couple of games for us [through injury] but he has been out on loan and you can see the benefit and I think Chelsea’s young players benefit from that now. They are a mature young team.”
United beat Chelsea 4-0 in their opening Premier League match of the season but Solskjaer believes the scoreline was misleading. Pogba was also instrumental in that game but, with the France midfielder ruled out until early December, the manager has challenged Fred and Pereira to step up after encouraging showings from the Brazil midfielders in recent games against Liverpool and Norwich City, the Telegraph report.
“I think Frank has done a good job – the performance against us was good,” he said. “The result was bad but we held our hands up then and said ‘Yep, 4-0, flattering’.
“We got pegged back, they pressed us but we scored two goals within a minute, the second and third, which decided the game for us. But we didn’t think we were 4-0 better than them. It is going to be an interesting game. We don’t make it easy for ourselves in the cups with the draws.
“The two Brazilians, Fred and Andreas, with their energy and drive, they are going to be important for us. Fred will probably take Paul’s position for a while now and that’s been brilliant for us and Andreas has grown in the last few games. His energy and running, chasing, he is a different sort of No. 10. Great professional, great attitude. He does his job to the best of his abilities.
“There is no use talking about who is not going to be here for a long, long time, because he is not going to come on the pitch and help us until he is fit. Paul’s been brilliant and he is a creative midfielder that we need but now it is up to the others to step up.”
