Chelsea's transfer decision over new centre-back could present opportunity for Josh Acheampong | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca wants to sign a new defender but Acheampong impressed against Crystal Palace and looks ready to step up if that does not happen

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Malik Ouzia

Sign up

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

The 19-year-old made the most of his big opportunity against Crystal Palace.

Indeed, it was he and debutant substitute Estevao who had the strongest claims as Chelsea's player of the match in the 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca has made it crystal clear what he wants to happen now Colwill is out for the majority of the season with a serious knee injury. He insists Chelsea must sign another centre-back.

Acheampong had a good battle with Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta

AFP via Getty Images

That sentiment from the Italian will not be going away any time soon, especially as Tosin Adarabioyo - the man Maresca says is his only defender able to deputise for Colwill - is out injured for a period of time the Chelsea medical staff are still unsure about.

Tosin was set to start against Palace but suffered a “physical problem” on Saturday and could not complete that day’s training session.

In came Acheampong for the full 90 minutes against Palace. It was arguably the biggest match of his career to date. And it proved an occasion he would rise to.

Although the Blues play a back-four, in possession it morphs into a three-man backline, with Marc Cucurella shunting into midfield. Tosin fulfilled the Colwill role of playing centrally, with Reece James to his right and Trevoh Chalobah to his left.

“Very good, very good.” That was Maresca’s assessment of Acheampong’s performance in a hard-fought goalless draw. “We already showed confidence in Josh last year. He already played some games. Today he did very well. He dealt with [Jean-Philippe] Mateta very well. So overall, he did a good game.”

That he did. It is only eight months ago that Maresca handed Acheampong his first Premier League start against Palace at Selhurst Park. That day, keeping tabs on Mateta was not his responsibility. On Sunday, it very much was.

Acheampong has grown in the eight months since, given meaningful minutes here and there by his manager, and he limited what Mateta could do.

Acheampong crunched Palace wing-back Daniel Munoz with a superb slide tackle

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Of course, there were still times when the French striker showed the young centre-back that he still has some bulking out to do - like when Mateta held him off, swivelled, and volleyed on goal from distance in the second half - yet Acheampong was not bullied and was as deserving of Chelsea’s eventual clean-sheet as anyone.

Early on, James could be seen putting his hand out to stop Acheampong from passing. He wanted him to bring the ball forward, and that was no surprise.

While he cannot compete with Colwill’s magnificent passing range at this stage, he is as comfortable as any of Chelsea’s central defenders at dropping the shoulder and dribbling through the press and into midfield.

In one moment of real individual quality, Acheampong raced back and crunched Daniel Munoz with a superb slide tackle, before immediately getting back to his feet and running in on Mateta to win a 50-50 and win a free-kick in the process. Maresca was left applauding, as were half of the Chelsea bench.

He ended the match as the player with the most duels competed, most duels won, most aerial duels competed, most aerial duels won, most tackles won and 93.5 per cent of his passes found their man.

Perhaps the reason Maresca is so insistent on Chelsea buying another centre-back is that he secretly fancies his world champions as title contenders and feels the loss of Colwill puts that in major jeopardy.

Whatever his thinking, the Chelsea hierarchy can look at Acheampong’s body of work now and remind the Italian there are solutions to be found from within.

Maybe Maresca is right and a new signing should still be made in that position, but Acheampong did his best to argue otherwise.