'He took his chance' - Tuchel praises impressive debutant Hall

Lewis Hall has been praised by Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel after the youngster made an impressive debut in the FA Cup win over Chesterfield.

An FA Cup finalist in four of the last five seasons, the Blues advanced to the fourth round after a 5–1 victory over their National League opponents.

Hall, who has been with Chelsea since the age of six, put up a convincing performance playing the full 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge.

The 17-year-old displayed amazing persistence before crossing for Romelu Lukaku to score the Blues' third goal, while his shot was passed straight to Andreas Christensen, the hosts' fourth-place finisher.

And Tuchel insisted that the teenager proved that he was worthy of his opportunity.

Asked why he chose Hall, the head coach said: "It was his performance and attitude in training; the attitude he showed in our occupied games and in the short-games.

"He deserved to play; he's a good guy and very calm. [It was] a big opportunity at Stamford Bridge. He took his chance and was extremely involved in some goals. [I'm] happy for him.

"It's clear what we ask of players in this situation. We have a very supportive dressing room and it's great for the young boys. They have to step up and show what they're capable of, and He did it again.

"I am happy with the way we started. We started strong and well. We decided the match a long time ago and that's what we wanted."

Having appeared on the bench several times this season, Hall has given the Stamford Bridge loyalist a chance to shine.

"That's what I've done since I was a kid at Chelsea," the youngster told BBC Sport.

"I saw my name on the teamsheet and I was trembling. It took a few hours to process.

"To finally have the opportunity - and in front of my family and amazing fans - it's an incredible feeling."