Chelsea Boss Maurizio Sarri Gives Lowdown on Forgotten Blues Pair Amid January Exit Rumours

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has claimed that forgotten duo Victor Moses and Danny Drinkwater will need to up their game if they want to play regular football for his team this season.

Since the former Napoli man took over at the start of the season, his switch to a 4-2-3-1 has seen Moses miss out due to his recent conversion to the wing-back position, while Drinkwater has faced stiff competition for a spot in midfield. The former has started just once this season in the Carabao Cup, while the latter hasn't featured since the Community Shield in August.

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Speaking to BBC Sport, Sarri was questioned over the pair's future at the club, and said: "I don't know (if they'll stay). They have to improve, but the characteristics are a little bit different. The situation is that Drinkwater for me is not suitable for a midfield with two midfielders. I told him two months ago what I think.

"Moses is more suitable for playing like a wing-back than like a winger or a full-back. Of course if you look to December, January - we'll need to change (the team) for the Premier League because there will be matches every three days. So we'll need to change there too, of course."

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Moses played a vital role in Chelsea's Premier League winning campaign in the 2016/17 season, with his then-manager Antonio Conte successfully converting him from a winger into a marauding wing-back. With Sarri playing a back four, César Azpilicueta has been switched from a more central position to the wing, with Moses losing his starting spot in the process.

The signing of Drinkwater was arguably a bizarre choice from Chelsea's recruitment team, as the club already had a host of talented midfielders before his acquisition. Quite possibly brought in to boost the club's homegrown quota, the England international has barely featured for the Blues, and is likely to leave in January to reignite his career.

Meanwhile, Chelsea fan's favourite Ruben Loftus-Cheek has cast further doubt over his future at the club, after claiming he's desperate to play more first team football. The powerful midfielder opted to remain at the club to fight for his place rather than go on another loan spell this season, but has had to settle for appearances in cup competitions so far.