English born Ghanaian youngster Tariq Lamptey is the latest from the Chelsea Academy to be given an opportunity to shine in the first team as he replaced Fikayo Tomori another academy graduate in the 59th minute of Chelsea's game against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Lamptey became the seventh academy graduate to make a first-team appearance during Frank Lampard's managerial tenure at Chelsea, following in the footsteps of Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount, Billy Gilmour, Reece James, Marc Guehi and Ian Maatsen.

Tariq Lamptey was relaxing on a winter break and was told to come in for training with the team on Saturday because there was an injury crises with Reece James and Marcos Alonso all out injured.

According Chelsea manager Frank Lampard he was convinced to bring on the youngster by his assistants Jody Morris and Joe Edwards.

"Tariq Lamptey is a credit to Jody Morris and Joe Edwards, because when we sat and analysed the last two days and we knew Cesar Azpilicueta had a small injury and Reece James is injured then we are looking at options for a right-back or right wing-back. They said believe in him, trust in him, because they did and I listened to that. We felt it was the right time to bring him into the game and he was a catalyst because we were getting down the sides and he gave us a little bit more of an edge."

“He has pace, a low centre of gravity and can go by people. He wants to work on his end product but my question to Jody when he came on was has he got the confidence and the personality to deal with this. It is a tough game to come on with the responsibility to try to turn it, and Jody said yeah, no problem, and when he drove inside and slipped Tammy in for a shot, it was a great example of someone coming on a bit fearless and sometimes you get that with youth.” he said.