James shows why he can be Chelsea’s right-back of the future in passing Zaha test as Abraham reaches landmark

The Blues youngsters once again came to the fore on an afternoon when milestones were reached and three points were gained against Crystal Palace

Frank Lampard issued an ultimate vote of confidence in Chelsea‘s youth project when he pitted teenage right-back Reece James against one of the Premier League’s most feared wingers in Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha on Saturday afternoon.

The Chelsea manager was rewarded for his show of faith in the 19-year-old with a performance that demonstrated James belongs at the highest level on his first Premier League start.

Zaha may have been limited by the lack of service from his own team-mates, but James fought well against the Ivory Coast international as he passed the latest test thrown at him in Chelsea’s 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.