Frank Lampard praises emerging star after Crystal Palace win

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has heaped praise on Reece James, who came up with a top performance during the 2-0 Premier League win over Crystal Palace.

The right-back was rewarded with his maiden Premier League start of the season and he made a strong impression as he kept Wilfried Zaha at bay for nearly the entirety of the game.

Speaking after the match, the Blues head coach hailed the right-sided defender and appreciated his ability to outsmart one of the best wingers in the English top-flight.

"Reece was fantastic against one of the best wingers in the league one v one, Zaha is a real threat, especially on the counter-attack. Reece dealt with most of those situations and he also joined in on the attack," he told Sky Sports.

With the victory, the Blues have temporarily moved to the second position in the standings and they are now within five points of league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

The Blues are scheduled to face Manchester City following the international break and they could potentially find themselves ahead of the Citizens depending on the outcome of the latter's game at Anfield on Sunday.