Loftus-Cheek pushing for spot – Mourinho

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho backed teenager Ruben Loftus-Cheek to earn more playing time after impressing in the Champions League.

Loftus-Cheek put in a man-of-the-match performance against Maccabi Tel Aviv as Chelsea claimed comfortable 4-0 victory on Wednesday.

Mourinho said the 19-year-old England youth international, who he heavily criticised after a pre-season friendly in June, would continue getting his chances.

“I think he’s in the condition to compete with the other players for positions, for opportunities, for minutes, but he’s getting minutes,” he said.

“He’s potentially a very good player. But you have to feed these young players, and you have to choose the right moment.

“But the reality is that his evolution is important and good.”

Whether that means Loftus-Cheek will be given a chance to help turn around Chelsea’s poor start to the Premier League season – Mourinho’s men have four points from five games – remains to be seen.

Asked about potentially facing Arsenal on Saturday, Loftus-Cheek was hopeful.

“Who knows? I’ll do my best in training, do my best on the pitch when I get the chances,” he said.

“We’ll see what happens.”