Billy Gilmour reveals Harry Maguire grabbed him by the throat

Chelsea kid Billy Gilmour reveals Harry Maguire grabbed him by the throat and ‘was saying you’re a wee guy’ as the Manchester United defender taught him a lesson months before he starred in win over Liverpool

• Billy Gilmour, 18, excelled in Chelsea’s midfield as they beat Liverpool in FA Cup
• Scotland under-21 prospect looks likely to feature more regularly for Chelsea
• Gilmour has told of how Man United defender Harry Maguire taught him a lesson
• 6ft 4in Maguire grabbed 5ft 6in Gilmour by the neck during Carabao Cup tie
• Gilmour felt that Maguire was showing him he was a ‘wee guy’ during tussle
• But the teenager resolved that he won’t allow himself to be bullied again 

Billy Gilmour has revealed how Harry Maguire grabbed him by the throat and ‘was saying you’re a wee guy’ during Chelsea’s Carabao Cup meeting with Manchester United earlier this season.

Chelsea midfielder Gilmour, 18, excelled as they beat Liverpool 2-0 on Tuesday night to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

But the 5ft 6in Gilmour learned a valuable footballing lesson the hard way when he tangled with 6ft 4in England centre-half Maguire during United’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge back in October.

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire grabs Chelsea kid Billy Gilmour by the neck during the sides’ Carabao Cup meeting back in October

Gilmour had a breakthrough display in a Chelsea shirt in the FA Cup win against Liverpool

The Scottish teenager was the man of the match and showed his ability to dominate midfield

‘He was pushing me off, gripping me by the throat. Basically he was saying I’m a wee [small] guy,’ recalled Gilmour, who started that night.

‘That’s something I have to deal with. But I won’t let that happen again. That was a lesson.

‘He is going to try to bully young ones and that’s where I need to learn how to be stronger.

‘I’ve been working on that and I can only get stronger. But that was a learning curve when he gripped me in the box.’

Frank Lampard has integrated Gilmour into the first-team squad and is nurturing him closely

Gilmour’s ambition showed no limit as he left Rangers to try his luck in England with Chelsea

Chelsea fixtures 

Premier League unless stated

Sunday Everton (H)

March 14 Aston Villa (A)

March 18 Bayern Munich (A)

Champions League last-16, second leg

March 21/22 FA Cup quarter-final (TBC)

April 5 West Ham (A)

April 12 Watford (H)

Clearly that experience hasn’t fazed Gilmour, who produced a swaggering performance in midfield as Chelsea ended Liverpool’s hopes of winning a Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League this season.

The Glaswegian, who joined Chelsea’s academy from Rangers in the summer of 2017, has been given a handful of minutes in the Premier League this season by manager Frank Lampard.

But he also started both of Chelsea’s EFL Cup matches, came off the bench against Hull City in the third round of the FA Cup and then played from the start against Liverpool.

With Lampard short on midfielders, with Jorginho suspended for Chelsea’s next three games and the likes of Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek injured, Gilmour could well feature when they play Everton on Sunday.

The teenager’s composure was most impressive against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge

He is now on the cusp of breaking into the national team given his impressive form at Chelsea

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