Chelsea centre-back Fikayo Tomori has described Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah as the toughest opponents he's faced in the Premier League so far, admitting the Liverpool duo forced him to raise his game.
Tomori returned to Chelsea last summer after a successful loan spell at Derby, reuniting with head coach Frank Lampard, who left his post at Pride Park to replace Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues were unable to sign any new players prior to the 2019-20 season due to a FIFA-imposed transfer ban, so Lampard took the decision to promote a number of academy stars instead.
Tomori has been among those to benefit, racking up 22 appearances across all competitions to help Chelsea rise to fourth in the Premier League and reach the latter stages of both the Champions League and FA Cup.
Lampard's men beat an under-strength Liverpool side to reach the quarter-finals of the latter competition, gaining revenge for two painful defeats earlier in the season.
The Reds conquered Chelsea on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup final, before securing a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge on September 22, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Firmino grabbing the goals for the visitors.
Tomori says he has had to adapt his game since stepping up to the top flight from the Championship, and that he relished the opportunity to try and keep Firmino and Salah quiet in order to "prove" he belongs at the highest level.
"It has been different for me this season, just because it is the Premier League and it is a step up. You have to be more focused and prepared, always alert," the 22-year-old told Sky Sports.
"In the Championship you have a lot of different strikers - some love it in the air or like to go in behind. But then I'm playing against [Roberto] Firmino and he's dropping deep into midfield. Things happen a lot faster and mistakes are punished more harshly.
"Firmino was probably the most difficult [to play against] - along with Salah. Every time they got the ball, I was thinking, 'This is a challenge but this is where I want to be - this is a chance to prove that I can play at this level.'"
Tomori also discussed how Lampard has helped Chelsea's younger players keep their composure amid the increased pressure that comes with playing in the senior squad, while expressing a desire to finish the season as strongly as possible.
He said: "Coming into [this season] I was trying to be relaxed about it all - but you've got your friends and family saying you're playing for Chelsea, you're playing in the Champions League and stuff.
"Sometimes that gets in your head, and you just think this is actually happening, it's a dream. I try to stay focused and we've got the manager who's played at World Cups and Champions League finals, he keeps us all calm and especially with the young players who are new to this stuff, there's a lot of arm around our shoulders. The season's been great and hopefully we can finish it off."
The England international added on the "comfortable environment" in the Chelsea dressing room: "Coming into this season, the young players felt we had an opportunity and the manager said he wanted to play youngsters.
"Tammy [Abraham] and Mason [Mount] were scoring goals, I managed to get into the team, Reece [James] came back and started doing well after his injury.
"But being able to bounce off each other makes it a much more comfortable environment for us and we can relax and play our game. Then the experienced players like Antonio [Rudiger] and Azpi (Cesar Azpilicueta), the ones who have been there and done it, sharing a changing room with Pedro who has won everything, it makes it easier to adapt and get to learn from these players."