Mason Mount does not expect Billy Gilmour to struggle in the spotlight, but is ready to lend a hand to his Chelsea team-mate after facing the hype machine earlier in the season.
Gilmour had already made several appearances for Chelsea this season, but the 18-year-old’s successive man-of-the-match performances against Liverpool and Everton have earned him wider recognition.
The midfielder was the third top trending topic worldwide on Twitter after his display against Liverpool in the FA Cup win on Tuesday, and earned praise from the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Alan Shearer after the match.
His starring role in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Everton drew further positive comments from Roy Keane, and Mount is confident Gilmour can handle the big stage.
"He is very grounded," Mount, who has established himself as a first-team fixture in Frank Lampard’s side this season, said at Stamford Bridge after the win over Everton. "He has got a very, very good family around him and he is a very screwed-on boy so that won’t get to him at all.
"I won’t let it get to him as well, I’ll keep him grounded! No, he’ll be fine.
"I’m not surprised [by his performances]. I know what he is as a player, as a boy. I am very close to him so I know what character he has. I had no doubts about him coming in, stepping up and performing like the way he has in the last two games.
"I have massive confidence in him and he shows it when he comes out onto the pitch. The young players coming through, they are going to have these challenges. It is obviously a big achievement to make it into the first team, to start a game at home at Stamford Bridge.
"The way my debut went here was very good. I scored but Billy has stepped up and done brilliantly. He’s come into the team, been dominant, been confident on the ball and that’s what you want."
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Mount scored and played well alongside Gilmour and Ross Barkley in midfield, adding that he was in his best position after moving around in different roles in recent weeks.
"I always see myself as a No.8 because I like to do the other side of the game as well, not just going forward and attacking," the 21-year-old added. "I’ve played No.10 throughout my career, I’ve always gone in between so I don’t mind now."
Lampard described Chelsea's display against Everton as the best home performance of the season after his side managed to record back-to-back home wins in the league for the first time since November.
Mount agreed that it all came together for Chelsea, despite having seven players out due to injury or suspension.
"Speaking about it in the changing room afterwards, it is about time we scored a few goals at home, kept a clean sheen sheet and had a very dominant performance. It all came together," Mount continued.
"You always want to win your home games, that’s the most important thing. Obviously, the last two games we had Liverpool – a tough, tough game – and then [Everton] again as well. So, we had to stay focused because they were two tough games.
"The main thing was to keep a clean sheet because that’s more important or similarly important to scoring goals. We did that and the goals come when we are playing well, with combinations and finishing off good attacks."
The only negative point to come out of Sunday's performance was that Mount came off injured in the 60th minute after a collision with Tom Davies.
"I took a little knock in the back of my knee,” said the England international. "It was precautionary to see how it was. But now, I feel fine and hopefully in the next couple of days I will get treatment and it will be fine."
