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Ethan Ampadu made plenty of viewers feel old on Wednesday night when he became the first player born in 2000 to start for Chelsea in any competition.
Despite being just 17 years and 40 days old, the midfielder looked composed as he helped the Blues beat Everton to reach the quarter final of the Carabao Cup.
Here, Sportsmail takes a look at each Premier League club’s youngest player this season… and who holds the all-time record for youngest first-team appearance.
The Gunners are renowned for their academy, and Reiss Nelson is one of the most talented players in there. The forward replaced Danny Welbeck for the final few minutes of the Community Shield at the start of the season, and has since gone on to play in the Europa League and EFL Cup this season.
In truth, Bournemouth’s youngest player this season isn’t actually that young, and has featured in previous seasons at the top level. Perhaps that is due to the club’s tough start in the league… Eddie Howe clearly wanting to stick with the tried and tested than give his youngsters a run-out. Lewis Cook is certainly still one to look out for in the coming years, though.
Aaron Connolly is another player to make the majority of football fans feel old… born in January 2000, he made his debut in the League Cup at the age of 17. He came on for the final 15 minutes against Barnet, getting a taste of first-team football at the Amex. The forward has since dropped back into the Under 23s squad, for now.
Charlie Taylor is a name familiar with most football fans, and in truth he’s not that young. Burnley, like Bournemouth, have stuck with tried and tested this season, not venturing near their academy for any call-ups. In the past, though, plenty of youngsters have started at Turf Moor and gone on to big things… Kyle Lafferty and Nathan Dyer are just two players who made their Burnley debut aged 17.
Youngest player ever: Tommy Lawton, 16 years 174 days (against Doncaster, Second Division, 28 March 1936)
Ethan Ampadu became the club’s first 2000-born starter on Wednesday night against Everton, but he had previously come off the subs bench against Nottingham Forest earlier this season. The central midfielder started alongside Danny Drinkwater this week, helping the Blues through to the quarter final of the Carabao Cup. Keep an eye on him in the next round, where he is likely to feature again…
Jason Lokilo is one of the most talented youngsters in the Palace squad, and regularly appears on the Eagles bench in the Premier League. He made his debut in the Carabao Cup this season, and has been in England for a few years after being brought in from Anderlecht’s academy in 2015.
Tom Davies just about beats Beni Baningime to the honour of youngest player this season, as he featured back in July when he was just 19 years and 27 days old. Davies was impressive last season too, as he made himself a regular in the Toffees team, scoring twice in the process. Both he and Baningime are ones to watch.
Jordan Williams burst onto the scene when he was named in the starting line-up for Premier League new boys Huddersfield in the Carabao Cup. He played the full 90 that day, and has since headed out on loan to League One Bury, where he has played eight games already. The Terriers hope that some regular Football League football will help prepare him for life in the big league in the coming seasons.
Youngest player ever: Peter Hart, 16 years 229 days (against Southend, Third Division, 30 March 1974)
Centre back issues at the start of the season meant that Craig Shakespeare called up Josh Knight to his squad. In fact, he came on for the final 10 minutes in the 4-1 victory over Sheffield United. He has since dropped back down to the youth sides at the King Power Stadium.
Youngest player ever: Ashley Chambers, 15 years and 203 days (against Blackpool, League Cup, 20 September 2005)
Ben Woodburn’s rise to the top is well-documented, both at club and international level. He is the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer, and third-youngest player ever, behind Jack Robinson and Jerome Sinclair. He has also already scored for Wales, and this week signed a new long-term contract to keep him at Anfield for a further five years.
Not only was Tosin Adarabioyo included in Pep Guardiola’s Carabao Cup squad against Wolves this week, but he played 90 minutes before being replaced by John Stones for extra time and penalties. That was the youngster’s first taste of first-team football at City, but expect him to get plenty more in the future…
Youngest player ever: Glyn Pardoe, 15 years 314 days (against Birmingham, Division One, 11 April 1962)
It’s sometimes easy to forget that Marcus Rashford is still a teenager, given his meteoric rise at both club level and with England. The striker has 15 appearances under his belt already this season, with seven goals to boot. At the age of just 19, he is surely going to go all the way to the top.
Daniel Barlaser is another player that not only made it into the Carabao Cup squad this season, but started - and lasted the entire match. The English-Turkish midfielder is 20 years old and was involved on a few occasions last season, coming on in two FA Cup matches and sitting on the bench in the Championship. He will be hoping for more appearances this season, with the Magpies up in the Premier League.
Youngest player ever: Steve Watson, 16 years 233 days (against Wolves, Division Two, 10 November 1990)
Not an academy product, but a £5m summer signing from Lech Poznan, Jan Bednarek is the Saints’ youngest player so far this season. At 21, he started in defence in the Carabao Cup in August, but has since not featured again. He did receive an international call-up though, coming on for Poland’s senior team to make his debut against Kazakhstan last month.
Thibaut Verlinden is a player that is impressing coaches at Stoke following his move from Standard Liege in the summer of 2016. He has played mostly in the Under 18s and Under 23s, but stepped up to the first team at the start of this season. He replaced Erik Pieters for the final 20 minutes against Rochdale in the Carabao Cup in August.
As with Marcus Rashford previously, Tammy Abraham is not a that will be new to many. This summer, the Chelsea man was linked with a whole host of clubs that wanted him on loan, Swansea and Newcastle among them. In the end, he opted for the former, making his debut on the opening day against Southampton. After this season, he will hope to return to Stamford Bridge for a charge towards the first-team.
Tashan Oakley-Boothe first rose to the senior team at Spurs on the club’s pre-season tour of America, and was then on the bench in the Premier League at the start of the season. He made his debut in the League Cup, playing in the centre of Spurs’ midfield. The north Londoners have a good reputation for bringing through talent, and he could be next on the conveyor belt.
Something of an unknown quantity when he arrived in England, Richarlison is now flying at Watford as they push towards the upper echelons of the Premier League. The young Brazilian already has three goals in England, and is becoming an integral cog in the Hornets’ machine.
Youngest player ever: Keith Mercer, 16 years 125 days (against Tranmere Rovers, Third Division, 15 February 1973)
Tony Pulis put his faith in Rekeem Harper in the first game of West Brom’s season, bringing on the youngster for the final 20 minutes against Bournemouth. He then came on in the Carabao Cup, before being sent out on loan to Blackburn. He is only 17 but the young English talent has been tipped for big things.
Youngest player ever: Izzy Brown, 16 years 117 days (against Wigan, Premier League, 4 May 2013)
Domingos Quina arrived at West Ham in 2016, but last summer was linked with a whole host of other clubs including Arsenal. Perhaps that gives an insight into how highly-rated he is. Despite the rumours, he remains a West Ham player, and he came on in the Carabao Cup against Cheltenham in August and then Bolton in September.
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