Andreas Christensen has had a frustrating season at Stamford Bridge so far, but has he done enough to break back into the best Chelsea XI?
The 22-year-old defender was a nailed-on starter for large spells of the last campaign, but has been involved in just one Premier League game under Maurizio Sarri.
He is an extremely highly-rated talent around Stamford Bridge that many view as a big part of the future and he’s still featured in 12 games across all competitions so far this season.
The Denmark international has played the last two games, which were an FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest and an unfortunate 1-0 loss against Tottenham on Tuesday night in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Christensen has definitely shown signs that he is getting back to his best and giving a glimpse into why he is a star for the future.
The centre-back is extremely composed on the ball and can read the game brilliantly, but could still work on aspects of his passing to fit into Sarri’s style and also attacking in the opposition’s box after a blunder against Spurs.
Chelsea host Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday and it will interesting to see who Sarri starts in the heart of defence.
This season’s preferred combination of Antonio Rudiger and David Luiz are surely the most likely, but Christensen has to be pushing them close.
Chelsea favourite Luiz is a huge influence on the side, but the 31-year-old is prone to individual errors and may not be a long-term option for Sarri.
Christensen, who earns £65,000-a-week (Spotrac), has to be knocking on the door pleading for more chances and seizing them when they come along.
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