Enzo Maresca names Chelsea's surprise 'best' player in 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace
Enzo Maresca has revealed who he believes was Chelsea's best player in their frustrating 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Chelsea started the game on the front foot and were rewarded with an opener after just 14 minutes, with Jadon Sancho's piece of individual brilliance seeing him break free to find Cole Palmer who converted.
However, after Nicolas Jackson had several opportunities to double the Blues' lead, it was Crystal Palace who scored the next goal through Jean-Philippe Mateta.
The France forward's late strike saw the points shared in south London, with Chelsea's winless run extending to four matches.
With poor recent performances, Maresca opted to hand youngster Josh Acheampong his first Premier League start and the 18-year-old impressed.
Speaking after the match, Maresca heaped praise on the youngster and continued to name who he believes to have put in the most impressive performance on the pitch.
"All the players, for me, were good today but if I had to decide for one, Josh was the best player," Maresca said.
"He can be a top player for this club. We decided today because we saw he was ready. Today he showed how good he is."
The Chelsea head coach continued to discuss what the future holds for the defender, who recently signed a contract extension at Stamford Bridge.
"Even if we don't decide to buy players, or sell players; we already knew Josh was good enough," Maresca continued. "But with Benoit (Badiashile) and Wesley (Fofana)'s injuries, we will see if something can happen."
It remains to be seen as to whether Chelsea can attract a world-class defender during the January transfer window.
The Blues have previously been linked with a move for Benfica youngster Tomas Araujo, but a recent contract extension in Lisbon could see the defender become unattainable in January.
Aaron Anselmino has returned from a loan move at Boca Juniors early and Maresca has confirmed that the 19-year-old will be assessed before a decision is made on his future.
In the short-term, Maresca will be keen to sort out his side's defensive issues as they look to mount a challenge for the Champions League places.
