Young Chelsea centre-back Josh Acheampong proved himself as a capable starter for Enzo Maresca with his performance in Saturday's 2-1 win over Liverpool.
The 19-year-old was in the starting line-up for the Blues when they faced Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, and more than anything, it was out of necessity.
Maresca had very limited options in this match, with Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Wesley Fofana out injured, while Trevoh Chalobah was serving his one-match suspension. Acheampong, as a result, was given the nod to start alongside Benoit Badiashile in defence, with Jorrel Hato and 17-year-old Landon Emenalo being the backup options on the bench.
The Chelsea academy graduate eventually picked a knock himself, having to be replaced in the second half, but in the 68 minutes he was on the pitch, he defended admirably well.
"He was fantastic (against Liverpool). Strong, quick, good on the ball, likes to play out from the back," John Obi Mikel said about Acheampong's performance on The Obi One podcast.
"He had (Alexander) Isak in his pocket. I think a couple of times when he went into duels, he won those challenges."
In the game, Acheampong made four recoveries, one interception, and won 100 per cent of his duel. Against the defending champions, Liverpool, that is impressive. He also completed 35 of his 45 passes, despite being under Liverpool's constant pressure.
Acheampong ready for more Chelsea starts
It was Acheampong's only second start for Chelsea this season, having previously made the starting eleven in the Premier League opener against Crystal Palace back in August. Still, this is clear progress, considering that he made only two Premier League starts throughout last season.
If anything, this performance should convince Maresca that Acheampong is ready for more first-team action.
That said, Chalobah, Fofana, and Adarabioyo are expected to be back in the picture for the upcoming visit to Nottingham Forest's City Ground on October 18. Fofana, in particular, has made a return to training on Tuesday morning after a three-match absence due to a concussion.
Considering Chelsea's congested schedule, however, Acheampong will certainly get his opportunities. The Blues are still competing in the Premier League, the Champions League, the Carabao Cup, and the FA Cup this term.
Despite the knock in the Liverpool win, Acheampong has joined Chelsea teammates Tyrique George and Jamie Gittens in the England Under-21 squad to face Moldova and Andorra. This may offer him even more opportunities to grab more attention and get an edge in the competition for starting spots at Chelsea.
What is certain is that Acheampong has shown that Maresca can rely on him even when playing against the best teams in the world.