Chelsea boss Frank Lampard insists ‘improving’ Callum Hudson-Odoi will get more chances to impress

Callum Hudson-Odoi has been assured he will get more game-time at Chelsea after convincing Frank Lampard he is back to his best.

The 20-year-old has impressed with cameo appearances from the bench and is the Blues’ highest-scoring winger this season with five goals.

His late introduction against Fulham on Saturday coincided with Mason Mount scoring the winner at Craven Cottage and he had similar impacts when coming on in defeats to Arsenal and Manchester City.

Despite competition from Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic, Lampard says Hudson-Odoi will get his chance.

“He’s definitely playing well and improving, but I think it is a lazy stat, the one about scoring when he’s on the pitch,” said the Chelsea manager.

“If he’s directly involved in goals and assists then that’s a good start and he is doing that.

“His progression is there, he is getting his chances and he will get more chances.

"We had Christian Pulisic come to the club and have a really good record, Hakim Ziyech has come and has had a good patch.

“Callum has raised his game and he will absolutely get opportunities, he is playing well there is no doubt. He is playing better than I have seen him play for us and really contribute. That is through his own hard work. It is good to see.”

Hudson-Odoi has been restricted to just two Premier League starts this season due to a combination of injury and competition for places.

But he has been one of Chelsea’s most encouraging performers during what has been an alarming slump since early December.

Lampard added: “He is playing at a really high level in terms of where we saw him last year, recovering from an injury. I think, visually, his confidence to go one v one and beat a man, that’s what he has to be about and last season it wasn’t quite there.

“He’s young and came off the back of a bad injury but now we are starting to see it come back.

“When he scored against Morecambe, he broke the line and he is doing it much more regularly."

Chelsea travel to Leicester on Tuesday night looking to beat a top-eight team for the first time this season.

It is not clear if Hudson-Odoi will get only his third league start at the King Power Stadium, with Lampard admitting he went with experience at Fulham in a bid to secure a much-needed three points.

Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger, Jorginho and Olivier Giroud were all in the starting XI and Lampard said: “I did consider it a lot and that’s my job, to consider all things.

“Sometimes you lean on experience and sometimes you choose players to win the games. So I did think about it.

“We do have a young squad, particularly in forward areas, and an experienced squad in defensive areas, so I have to consider all that.”

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