Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek reaping rewards for hard-work and patience

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek says his fitness and form at the moment is down to his grit, graft and determination down the years.

The 25-year-old has opened a new chapter and will play in his 16th game of the season against Zenit St Petersburg in the Champions League tonight.

His current standing in the team has been aided by injuries to Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante, but he’s also worked really hard to move above the likes of Ross Barkley and even Saul Niguez, who were expected to be ahead of him at the beginning of the season.

It’s really refreshing to see so many players from the Chelsea academy making their way through the first team with Mason Mount, Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah and Loftus-Cheek all standing tall amongst some of the big money signings.

"There’s a lot of good players. We might have a few injuries and I might be put in,” Ruben Loftus-Cheek told the press ahead of tonight’s Champions League game.

“I had to be ready and I have been ready. I have had to step up as an individual.

“I’m very grateful to be fit. I’m enjoying it a lot and it comes with different duties.

“I’m ready to play and ready to play wherever. I’m playing a lot. You never know how football is going to go."

The Blues will be hoping for a swift return to winning ways when they take on Russian giants Zenit St Petersburg, after losing to West Ham in the Premier League over the weekend.

The defeat was the third time they have lost a game this season, following defeats to Manchester City and Juventus back in September.

There are growing concerns over the form of Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz, who both enjoyed game time against West Ham but were almost identically ineffective.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel reassured fans he is aware there are concerns and angered just like fans when the team loses games.

He added: "We dropped some points against Manchester United and we found a solution to win at Watford and it was a freak shot at West Ham.”

"We’ve had this before, we have lost and we don’t like it. I feel it personally. I have a certain anger and ambition to try to turn things around."

“We had a lot injuries and we miss N’Golo Kante alot but we will try and the players available I trust in them to do a good job.