Could Kenedy and Ruben Loftus-Cheek Be the Key to Revitalising Chelsea?

It was only 20 minutes, and in that time, Chelsea lost the game, but we may have witnessed the moment the Premier League champion's flagging campaign was revitalised.

The introduction of Kenedy and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the final stages of the 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace produced the best moments of an otherwise disappointing game for Jose Mourinho's side.

All those problems from their opening three matches were evident once more at Stamford Bridge—a lack of zip in attack, defensive frailties—leading to Mourinho to suffer just his second home defeat in 100 Premier League games.

After two defeats, a draw and a solitary win in four games, any doom and gloom around west London heading into the international break was justified. But then Chelsea's two 19-year-olds gave a reason for feeling positive.

Kenedy and Loftus-Cheek didn't do anything particularly eye-catching. There weren't any Lionel Messi-esque dribbles, and they didn't score or claim an assist.

That wasn't needed, however.

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What they did instead was play with a sense of conviction and desire that has been abundantly missing from the more senior players this term.

It was the sort of shake-up Mourinho has needed.

Playing out of position at left-back, Kenedy added a spark that was lacking in Chelsea's forward movement against Palace. He was picking the ball up from deep, and with all the exuberance of youth, he opted to run at his opposite number in an attempt to exploit the defence.

If there was any fear, he wasn't showing it.

From being unsure of Kenedy when he was first introduced in place of Cesar Azpilicueta, it wasn't long before the home crowd was getting excited each time the Brazilian was in possession.

The feeling of the supporters being uplifted was palpable, a sense of expectation and excitement hitting them as the youngsters tried to turn things around.

Suddenly, the decision to throw Kenedy into the fray when Mourinho did was making sense.

It was similar for Loftus-Cheek.

Until the Palace defeat, his Chelsea appearances had been less significant. He had made his debut in a dead-rubber Champions League tie, while his previous three Premier League games had been either to run down the clock (as it proved with his 89th-minute appearance against Manchester City in January) or to pick up some brief experience after Chelsea had sealed the title in May.

Palace was the moment when we saw what all the fuss was about. Loftus-Cheek played with authority in the middle of the pitch; he wasn't afraid to get forward, but neither did he shirk his defensive responsibilities.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

The questions that needed to be answered about his ability at senior level were partly addressed.

In a game where Chelsea had lacked real leadership on the pitch, the teenager hinted at why he had captained multiple youth teams on his rise through the academy.

He's over 6'0" tall, and Loftus-Cheek looked every inch of it.

Was it a complete performance from both players? Far from it, but Kenedy and Loftus-Cheek have given Mourinho an option he didn't seem to have.

And judging by Chelsea's transfer window performance, it's the sort of positive situation the manager needs to make the most of.

When Chelsea's title defence started off in disastrous fashion, Mourinho looked to the transfer market for his solutions. The reaction to a 3-0 thumping by City was to sign Pedro and Baba Rahman.

When Mourinho has needed an extra impetus to kick-start the campaign, he's found the answers from within.

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The complexities of Kenedy's transfer earlier this summer have meant he's been unavailable until recently, yet we didn't expect him to play such a big part early on. Few predicted Loftus-Cheek would, either.

Yet here they are, a young duo not burdened by the weight of profile and being Premier League champions. They're two talents with ambition, and despite a game in isolation, the bigger picture is telling us what they can offer Chelsea.

Now Mourinho needs to nurture that talent, use the players wisely to benefit the team and their own development.

Chelsea aren't celebrated for doing that, and now the opportunity has presented itself.

It has been a rotten summer at Stamford Bridge. Now the seasons are changing, though, and there's every chance Chelsea's fortunes will, too.

Should that happen, don't underestimate just how vital their teenagers will be.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes.