Sarri demands more from Chelsea's Loftus-Cheek despite hat-trick

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri insists hat-trick hero Ruben Loftus-Cheek must sharpen up defensively to secure more Premier League football.

Blues midfielder Loftus-Cheek produced a match-winning performance during the 3-1 Europa League victory over BATE Borisov after being handed a rare Stamford Bridge start.

The England international has been restricted to just 33 minutes of league action since Sarri's summer appointment.

Thursday evening's treble showcased the 22-year-old's undoubted attacking talent but his manager wants to see more from the player at the opposite end of the pitch and further tactical improvement if he is to be selected more regularly.

"He played very, very well - in the offensive phase, wonderful," said Sarri.

"But in the beginning of the season, I thought he was really a very good player. Now I think the same but maybe I think also that he is more suitable to my football, he's improving.

"I think also he needs to improve in the defensive phase. But not only Loftus.

"At the moment we have four midfielders for two positions and three of them with the same characteristics, three offensive midfielders.

"Only (N'Golo) Kante is a defensive midfielder, so it's very difficult for me to put in the starting XI two offensive midfielders in the same time but I hope to be able do it in the future.

"I need the co-operation of the players, of course. I need an improvement in the defensive phase.

"I have a little problem, I have to put only 11 players in the starting XI and I have 28 players.

"I don't know how to solve it. I can ask to play with 15, 16."