In our first match of 2025, Cole Palmer opened the scoring in south London with a neat finish following Jadon Sancho’s hard work down the left-hand side for the Blues, but the Eagles would equalise five minutes from time through Jean-Philippe Mateta to ensure the spoils were shared.

Acheampong’s assured display against Palace hinted at a bright future for the defender in the Premier League with the youngster winning our Player of the Match award as voted for by the supporters. And while the result wasn’t the victory he hoped for, the 18-year-old expressed pride in his performance and gratitude for the opportunity to step into the starting XI.

‘It was a really enjoyable game and my first Premier League start,’ said Acheampong who joined Chelsea as an Under-8.

‘I’ve worked a lot for it, and overall it was really enjoyable, but it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t come away with the three points.’

Despite the intense atmosphere of Selhurst Park, Acheampong looked composed and confident throughout the match. His stats reflected his influence on the game, as he completed more passes and spent more time in possession than any other player on the pitch.

‘That’s one of the things I like to do when I play,’ he explained.

‘I like to be on the ball and especially as I got more and more into the game and more confident, it helped to be on the ball more.

‘I don’t really think about my opponent, I just try to think about my own game. I block out the crowd and having played in big stadiums before, that helped me.’

While Acheampong made his senior debut in last month’s Conference League clash against FC Astana, he admitted that he enjoyed the challenge of the Premier League, while also crediting his defensive partner for helping him through the experience.

‘It felt like a big step up physically,’ he said. ‘But you get used to it training with my teammates. Levi [Colwill] helped me during, before, and after the game – even telling me to clap the fans. It’s great to have him around.

‘I always try to work for more and more, and hopefully there are more opportunities to come.’