Ruben Loftus-Cheek must improve tactically to break into Chelsea team, warns Maurizio Sarri

Maurizio Sarri was concerned by the number of counter-attacks Europa League opponents Vidi created on Thursday night

Maurizio Sarri has challenged Ruben Loftus-Cheek to improve tactically in order to establish himself in the Chelsea team, and hinted that Ross Barkley is currently ahead of Loftus-Cheek in the pecking order.

Loftus-Cheek played 70 minutes of Thursday night’s 1-0 Europa League win over the Hungarian champions Vidi in what was his first start for Sarri, and he was involved in several bright moments including a weaving dribble which should have earned his side a first-half penalty. But Sarri was concerned by the number of occasions Vidi threatened on the counter-attack, and he pinpointed Loftus-Cheek’s tactical understanding as an area of concern.

“He’s a great player from the technical point of view, and from the physical point of view,” Sarri said. “But he has to improve from a tactical point of view. I want more from the tactical point of view because we conceded three or four counter-attacks to the opponent. we have to do better, especially in this case with the midfielders.”

Loftus-Cheek missed out on a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the upcoming Nations League ties due to his lack of minutes this season, having suffered a foot injury playing for his country against Switzerland last month, and the midfielder will instead be worked hard over the international break by Sarri and his coaching staff. “In this moment for the player it’s better to stay in Cobham [Chelsea’s training base] because it’s very important to have a lot of training sessions. In the last three of four weeks he hasn’t been training a lot. It’s better for him to stay and work.”

Loftus-Cheek must make do with a bit-part role (Getty)

Barkley, who replaced Loftus-Cheek after 66 minutes, was called up to the England squad having now featured in 10 games under Sarri already this season, albeit largely as a substitute, and appears to have quickly understood the demands of the manager’s three-man midfield. “Barkley needed to improve [when I first arrived],” said Sarri. “He is improving. I’m very happy with him.”

Chelsea face Southampton on Sunday with the chance to briefly go top of the Premier League before Manchester City play Liverpool. While most of his star players were given a rest ahead of the trip to St Mary’s, Sarri felt the need to call on Eden Hazard from the bench against Vidi not long into the second half, but the manager denied that he would rather have given his best player the night off.

“I think that for Eden to play is a pleasure, so I think that in this case that kind of player it’s better to play for 35 or 40 minutes than to have training.”