Enzo Maresca has said Josh Acheampong will be ‘the future’ of the club after scoring his first Chelsea goal.
Acheampong opened the scoring as Chelsea won 3-0 at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, rising to meet Pedro Neto’s cross and head home. It was the 19-year-old’s first senior goal and set the West Londoners on route to an important three points.
Acheampong was making his third league start of the Premier League season, having impressed Maresca since emerging from the academy. The Chelsea boss has backed the teenager to become a long-term part of his plans.
“I am very happy for him. People will think you trust a player only if he plays and you don’t trust if you don’t play,” Maresca said to TNT Sports at full-time.
“I’ve trusted Josh from the start of last season. He’s a fantastic player and will be the future of this club.
“Reece James is very important. Hopefully he can be fit for more games. Since I’ve arrived we’ve been trying to manage him. He’s had problems in the past but now he’s looking much better.”
Nottingham Forest sacked manager Ange Postecoglou in the immediate aftermath of the match, following an eight-game winless run. The Australian was in charge for just 39 days and Maresca said he sympathises with Postecoglou.
“I feel really sorry. It’s always a shame. But we say many times this is a business where you need to win games. For all of us it’s the same consequence.
“First half they were very good, they tried to play their game. Second half we were much-improved and deserved to win the game.
“Second half we were better, we changed something tactically and overall, again, I think we deserved to win the game.”
