Damning explanation given for why Mykhailo Mudryk is not starting games at Chelsea

The damning reason why Mauricio Pochettino prefers Ben Chilwell to Mykhailo Mudryk down his left-hand side has been explained.

Mudryk is yet to start a game under the new management of Pochettino this season, with traditional left-back Chilwell having been deployed in a more attacking-role as part of a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Following the arrival of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez has been given the license to roam further forward, with Raheem Sterling also becoming a permanent feature of Chelsea's new set-up.

As a result, £88.5 million signing Mudryk, who joined the Blues from Shakhtar Donetsk last January, has been left high and dry.

And the Ukranian clearly isn't best pleased by the situation after he liked a social media post calling out his lack of starts at the west London club.

Providing an explanation for Mudryk's lack of game time, Liam Twomey of The Athletic claimed that Chilwell was more "trusted to make the right movements at the right times".

The report read: "The other notable feature of Pochettino’s attacking selection has been the relative lack of minutes for Mykhailo Mudryk, who looks desperately low on confidence and tactically lost in this Chelsea system.

"Chilwell has been preferred on the left wing because he can be trusted to make the right movements at the right times, with and without the ball."

The added competition of Cole Palmer, who arrived at Stamford Bridge from Manchester City on transfer deadline day won't help Mudryk, either.

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Twomey added that both Palmer and Noni Madueke are more favoured by Pochettino, with Mudryk's path to the first team seemingly blocked off.

Not to mention Carney Chukwuemeka, who started Liverpool's opening two games of the season against Liverpool and West Ham before getting injured.

"Pochettino also seems to have more trust for Noni Madueke — who did not play a minute of pre-season due to a muscle injury — and deadline-day signing Cole Palmer, who is considered a No 10 and even a No 8 option as well as a winger who can operate on either flank if needed," Twomey continued. "Both are very direct wingers with a similarly exciting blend of speed and skill."

Topics: Chelsea, Mykhailo Mudryk, Ben Chilwell, Football, Mauricio Pochettino, Premier League

Joe Adams

Joe is a Journalist for SPORTbible with a primary focus on football. He has previously covered a number of other sports including boxing, rugby and F1. Wishes he was born left-footed.

@joeadamsjourno