Martin Keown has heaped praise on Chelsea’s man of the moment Antonio Rudiger, following another barnstorming performance for the Blues against Leeds.

Rudiger was in the thick of the action as Chelsea pulled off a dramatic late win at Stamford Bridge to keep their title hopes firmly on track, and Keown was impressed with what he observed.

Chelsea currently remain at a stalemate with Rudiger regarding a possible contract extension. The former Roma man could walk away for free at the end of the season and seek a lucrative deal elsewhere, but Keown has stressed his importance to the side.

He’s a real driving force for Chelsea – I love watching him play,’ Keown told BBC’s Match of the Day.

‘I was an aggressive defender myself, but I think this guy takes it to another level.

‘When he gets the ball, he likes to run forward. The fans love him there because he makes things happen.

‘Defensively – he’s so aggressive. He just shuts the door. So aggressive, strong, and he really leads from the back.

‘He’s a nuisance to play against and he’s been outstanding for them.’

Keown went as far as to suggest that the all-action Rudiger could even be seen as ‘too aggressive’ when playing for the Blues, predominantly due to asserting himself more in the absence of N’Golo Kante.

Keown added: ‘I do think with [N’Golo] Kante not in the side at time he goes running after things a little bit too much,’ Keown added.

‘He’s got to keep a lid on this, he walks a little bit of a tightrope at times, he’s a little bit too aggressive.’