For all the millions splurged by West Ham in the summer transfer market, the one player who continues to make a most favourable impression is the teenager for whom they paid nothing.
Declan Rice has added stability to Manuel Pellegrini’s team, deployed deep in the midfield in their last two games.
His performance was fundamental to the success at Everton and, one week on, back in the Olympic Park, he helped to ensure the win at Goodison Park was built upon against Chelsea.
Rice ran himself to a standstill, suffering cramp in stoppage time as the Hammers clung on for a precious point with uncharacteristic resilience.
They might have won it on the break had Andriy Yarmolenko not somehow missed a sitter in the second half, although they did enough to stop Maurizio Sarri’s winning start to life in London.
For all the millions spent by Chelsea on their academy, the one player who came through their youth ranks to start in this derby wore claret and blue.
Rice hails from a family of Blues fans and was in the youth ranks at Stamford Bridge until he joined West Ham at the age of 16.
Although he has always represented the Republic of Ireland, it not hard to see why Gareth Southgate has made his interests clear.
Rice is fast maturing into the type of player England seldom produce.
Whether he operates at the back or in midfield, he has a defensive instinct. He senses danger, and is athletic and mobile enough to cover the ground and close the gaps, while strong in the air and in the tackle.
He has ability on the ball, can pass long and short with either foot, and understands his limitations, makes good decisions in possession and appears immune to the urge to tear around in search of glory.
Rice’s presence helped West Ham frustrate Chelsea, as the full-backs stayed deep and encouraged Eden Hazard and Willian inside, slowing them down in traffic and smothering the danger.
His protection has eased the pressure on the centre-halves, with Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang given licence to get around the midfield and knock the other team from their passing rhythms.
It sometimes leaves West Ham short of numbers up front and means the three attacking players in Pellegrini’s team must be more clinical than they were against Chelsea.
But it has stopped the rot, which was crucial. They still needed a brilliant save by Lukasz Fabianski to deny Ross Barkley in stoppage time but this was a huge result for the Hammers and Rice was central to it.