Billy Gilmour has shown Thomas Tuchel he can be trusted in Chelsea's midfield
By Tom Gott
There has been a lot of hype around Chelsea's central midfielders since Thomas Tuchel arrived.
Mateo Kovacic looks to be the boss' favourite son, N'Golo Kante is back to his dominant best and Jorginho is playing well enough to convince fans he should stay at the club next season. However, one player who has been left behind somewhat is Scottish youngster Billy Gilmour.
On the cusp of a breakthrough under former boss Frank Lampard, Gilmour has been firmly benched by Tuchel, who handed the teenager just his second appearance since January in Sunday's 2-0 win over Sheffield United.
Deployed in a midfield two alongside Kovacic, it was Gilmour who stood out more with his do-it-all approach at both ends of the field.
It was the kind of performance we have come to expect from Gilmour, whose composure and willingness to play against an opponent's high press makes him look more like a seasoned veteran than an emerging youngster. He wanted the ball and was not afraid to play.
Gilmour's passing was solid, but it was his willingness to try killer balls which stood out. For all of Kovacic, Jorginho and Kante's qualities, none are particularly inspiring in attack, but Gilmour offered up a different edge.
Sure, he wasn't exactly perfect, and a couple of his passes went a little astray, but it's that desire to make things happen which should help Gilmour stand out.
The Scot was more than a little unfortunate to be substituted midway through the second half, and while his departure wasn't the entire reason, it was no coincidence that Chelsea's hold on the game began to slip without him on the field.
In Gilmour's absence, Chelsea lacked the composure needed in midfield to cope with United's high press and they found themselves flustered far too easy. That's not something Gilmour knows the meaning of.
Does he deserve to start every game going forward? Of course not.
Does he actually deserve a Premier League minute as Chelsea hunt for three trophies? Duh.