Josh Acheampong was the front-runner to start for Chelsea at center-back at the City Ground on Saturday following his performance against Liverpool, but Enzo Maresca’s decision to pick him was still a significant one.
Even though Acheampong is only 19 and lacks experience at the highest level, he always steps up when given the chance. Maresca will have already observed that quality, which is priceless.
Watching from the terraces, the Italian tactician will have been suitably delighted by Acheampong’s performance while serving his one-game touchline punishment against Nottingham Forest.
The teenager not only played in a defence that only managed Chelsea’s third Premier League clean sheet of the season, but he also got up to head a strong header past Matz Sels from Pedro Neto’s corner to score his first senior goal and complete a strong performance.
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Citing Chelsea’s 3-0 victory as the tipping point, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis fired head coach Ange Postecoglou less than 20 minutes following the final whistle after just 39 days in charge.
According to The Evening Standard, teams all over Europe including Borussia Dortmund expressed interest in Acheampong over the summer, as they anticipated that Chelsea might let him go on loan or possibly permanently since they had so many more established centre backs in their lineup.
However, every performance he puts on justifies the choice to keep him, and it says something that Maresca gave him another start at Forest when other, experienced defenders were available and fit.
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