Chelsea fans told to keep an eye on academy star after 'charged up' debut

Alfie Gilchrist came off the bench in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge and made an immediate impression.

Noni Madueke scored an 89th minute penalty after Michael Olise had cancelled out Mykhailo Mudryk's opener.

Gilchrist was introduced by Mauricio Pochettino and it proved to be a popular decision among Chelsea fans.

One particular moment that featured the 20-year-old went viral on social media.

The defender showed zero fear as he blocked the ball with his head from close range.

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Teammate Trevoh Chalobah loved his performance and wrote on X: "Bro was charged. Blue blood."

Blues legend Terry is a huge fan and tipped him for great things, with the early evidence showing he'll likely be a hit with supporters.

Asked by a fan at a recent Q&A about which academy player people should keep an eye on, Terry said: "Alfie Gilchrist, he's a really really good player. He's got an unbelievable attitude. He's been at the club since the age of eight.

"He performs so well on a daily basis, does everything right. I think he's got a good chance.

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"I think we spoke about the young players going on loan and I think Alfie's next step is to go on loan next season and then you should see how he does.

"I'm expecting big things from Alf, expecting him to play hopefully a game or two as the season goes on."

Gilchrist has been with Chelsea since the Under-11 level and penned his first professional deal in November 2020.