Mourinho ready to turn to Loftus-Cheek
Chelsea will turn to Ruben Loftus-Cheek after the international break as they seek to revive their fortunes, manager Jose Mourinho has said.
The Blues boss criticised Nemanja Matic for his poor form after the 3-1 defeat by Southampton, while Cesc Fabregas has also come under scrutiny for his displays.
And Mourinho conceded he agreed with those supporters clamouring for Chelsea’s emerging talent to be used more often.
He said: “My job is not simple. I have to measure the situation in difficult moments.
“Can the most experienced players cope better [than the younger ones] with the pressure of the moment?
“But clearly it’s time [for a change]. We can’t play four, five or six kids because some of them are not ready, but Ruben is more ready.
“If everything goes normally in the next two weeks, yes he’s the player to start the next game [against Aston Villa] and to get a run of first-team games. But I have to persuade him not to feel the pressure.”
Saturday’s loss means Chelsea have been beaten in five of their 11 matches this season. They are 16th in the Premier League table – eight points behind leaders Manchester City.
