Mykhailo Mudryk fires message to Mauricio Pochettino after Chelsea setback ahead of Aston Villa

Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk will be hoping for a second consecutive start under Mauricio Pochettino this weekend against Aston Villa. The Ukraine international was given a starting role in last weekend's goalless draw with Bournemouth, but he was mostly unable to make a lasting impact before being withdrawn after 60 minutes.

On other day, if his team-mates finishing had been up to scratch, Mudryk could have been coming out of the game with two assists after setting up Nicolas Jackson and Conor Gallagher with clear-cut opportunities. However, accompanied by his early sub, the narrative surrounding Mudryk's display was very different with Pochettino's comments not seeming to help matters.

«He is improving,» the Chelsea boss said after the game. «He still needs to learn; the Premier League is very fast, the speed of the game is so fast. I think it's about understanding the game better, try to be more connected sometimes with the team. We need to give the time and to give the tools for him to improve during the season.»

Nonetheless, Mudryk has continued working hard at Cobham in the hope of another chance to impress, with his state of mind and the morale of the entire squad appearing much better in training this week. With the Aston Villa clash looming, Mudryk has once again taken to social media to show Pochettino what he can offer his team if given another opportunity.

On Instagram, he posted an edited video of some training clips showing a shooting drill with Mudryk finding the back of the net emphatically on three occasions. One of Pochettino's biggest decisions this weekend comes in Mudryk position with another three stars possibly being deployed there.

Ben Chilwell has been the man frequently used in the role, however