Billy Gilmour stars for Chelsea again and says it would be ‘mad’ to earn Scotland call-up

Young Scottish midfielder Billy Gilmour was man of the match again for Chelsea in their emphatic win over Everton. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty

Teenager Gilmour doubled down on his stunning showing in Tuesday’s 2-0 FA Cup win over Liverpool by bossing yesterday’s 4-0 Premier League thumping of Everton.

The 18-year-old excelled on his full top-flight debut in the deep-lying role at the base of a Chelsea midfield missing the injured N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, and the suspended Jorginho.

“It’s a bit mad, to be fair,” Scotland Under-21 cap Gilmour told Sky Sports on the prospect of winning a call-up to the full international squad. “It would be amazing to be called up, but I just need to keep working hard here and doing my best. Hopefully, I get that opportunity soon.

“It was amazing, a dream come true to make my full debut in the Premier League, but most of all to get the three points and carry on winning. Hopefully we can continue that going forward,” he  added.

“It was a tough game. I thought against Liverpool I played well, but you can only go into the next game and do exactly the same – work your hardest, play well and do the best for the team.”

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard believes Gilmour already has the “balls” to thrive in the challenging ‘quarterback’ role and said the youngster has the game to excel anywhere across midfield, boosting his chances of regular appearances even when the senior absentees return.

“He’s receiving the ball in difficult areas on the pitch where if you don’t move it quickly, firstly you don’t get the rhythm of our play, it breaks down for you; secondly if you give it away in those areas it’s dangerous,” said Lampard.

“So you need confidence, you need balls to do that. One of the most pleasing things for me with Billy today was that he showed those balls in the first half, but then when he stepped up into a higher midfielder role he instantly took it on board, arriving in their box, playing balls all around the pitch.”

Former Rangers youth player Gilmour proved the catalyst for Chelsea’s first two goals. His early pass to Mason Mount turned Everton’s midfield on its heels. Mount fed Pedro out wide and the Spaniard cut in off the left and threaded the ball back inside for Mount to control on the half-turn and then drill home the opener in the 14th minute.

Seven minutes later, Chelsea doubled their lead, with Gilmour again at the heart of it. He fed Olivier Giroud into feet, the Frenchman laid off for Ross Barkley, and the ex-Everton midfielder threaded Pedro through on goal, with the Spain forward slotting past Jordan Pickford.

An afternoon of extreme Chelsea comfort was quickly sealed after the interval, when Willian struck crisply into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

In next to no time Giroud tapped in Willian’s corner under precious little resistance, and the fourth goal proved the final straw for droves of visiting supporters.