Trailblazing pundit Garth Crooks named Chelsea academy product Conor Gallagher in his Premier League team of the week on BBC Sport.

Gallagher was excellent against Fulham on Monday evening – he put forth a mature performance and effectively ran the game, always presenting a passing option and pressing the opposition effectively while out of possession.

The former Crystal Palace loanee did not score a goal or register an assist against the Cottagers – but his contributions were plain for all to see.

As captain, Gallagher led by example – he never shied away from the action, always trying to involve himself in the nitty-gritty of the Blues’ hard fought win at Craven Cottage.

What did Garth Crooks say regarding Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher?

Writing in his weekly BBC Sport column, Crooks penned: “This is more like it. Chelsea looked, and for the very first time this season, like a team that had some serious money spent on it.

“Manager Mauricio Pochettino hadn’t taken a scalpel to shape his squad against Fulham on Monday night – more like a machete with 12 first-team players out injured.

“Five of his subs had never kicked a ball in the first team before while Mykhailo Mudryk and Armando Broja looked a useful partnership up-front. Thiago Silva and Levi Colwill looked comfortable at the back while Moses Caicedo is clearly going to have an impact on the team.

“However nothing prepared me for the way Gallagher performed at Craven Cottage. The newly installed Chelsea captain didn’t just cover every blade of grass but also played with a maturity that justified the role.

“Fulham’s manager Marco Silva looked dazed by the end of this encounter and had every right to be as Chelsea had just blitzed his team.”

Who else made it into Garth Crooks’ Premier League team of the week?

Crooks’ full Premier League team of the week for game week seven was as follows: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Craig Dawson (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Tom Lockyer (Luton Town), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal), Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur), Miguel Almiron (Newcastle United), Carlton Morris (Luton Town), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).