Chelsea made history by fielding their YOUNGEST PL starting XI against Palace
For a team mostly made up of eye-wateringly expensive embryonic talents, it's almost surprising it took Chelsea as long as it did to field their youngest-ever starting XI.
But without the services of 39-year-old defensive general Thiago Silva lining up against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening, Mauricio Pochettino put his faith in youth to field a starting side with an average age of just 23 years and 21 days.
In doing so, the west London side became the youngest to turn out for a top-flight game since Manchester United - also versus Crystal Palace - in 2017, when Jose Mourinho opted to play the kids in a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford.
However, Chelsea are far from the youngest side to have ever played in the competition - that honour belongs with Steve McLaren's Middlesbrough, who fielded a team with an average age of just 20 years and 181 against Fulham in 2006 - and were beaten 1-0 on the final day of the season.
Here, Mail Sport runs the rule over every Premier League side's youngest starting side and their successes - or lack thereof.
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace - December 27, 2023
Starting XI: Petrovic, Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Caicedo, Gallagher, Mudryk, Nkunku, Maatsen, Jackson
Mauricio Pochettino's side at times looked every bit as young and naive as their club record-breaking average, and it was to no one's surprise that top-flight veteran Thiago Silva's late introduction that helped Chelsea pull off the valuable home win.
The Blues lead the Premier League's table of the youngest average age per squad, and fans are becoming used to seeing 23 year-olds Reece James and Conor Gallagher as the side's old heads.
Not content with just the one first, Pochettino also handed a first-team debut to academy starlet Alfie Gilchrist
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