Billy Gilmour has had a fast rise to prominence at Chelsea – but it was facing off against a fellow Scot at Manchester United that handed him his hardest assignment yet.
The teenager is fighting for a place in Thomas Tuchel’s immediate Chelsea plans following 11 appearances in a breakthrough campaign under Frank Lampard last term. He is one of several Scottish senior and youth internationals in the Premier League, including one at Manchester United.
That midfielder is of course Scott McTominay, who has turned into a brilliant centre-back for Steve Clarke on the international scene. Gilmour faced up against him on the domestic scene during Carabao Cup action in 2019 and the Chelsea kid says it was a challenge.
He said: “It was against Manchester United, actually. It was Scott McTominay. I know he’s fellow Scottish and all that but he was so good, quick, strong and technically good. So, I think it was tough playing against him.
“He played really good, He was stopping everything in midfield and controlling the game.”
Now looking to build on two Premier League appearances this term, Scotland prospect Gilmour says the pace is the big difference at senior level: “It’s more the physical side of things and it’s obviously quicker.
“But you get used to it quiet quick as the Premier League 2 is a fast league as well, there are great young players there, it was always tough games. Coming into the first-team is no different. The games are still hard, the matches are a lot quicker and it’s more physical.”
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