Why Ben Chilwell was benched vs Bournemouth as Mauricio Pochettino reveals Mykhailo Mudryk plan

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed why Ben Chilwell was replaced by Mykhailo Mudryk in the Chelsea starting lineup against Bournemouth. Before the international break, the left-back was preferred on the left-wing and started in each of the Blues' first four games of the Premier League season.

However, following unimpressive performances in defeats to West Ham and Nottingham Forest, Pochettino eventually decided to drop Chilwell and finally trust Mudryk at the Vitality Stadium. Ahead of Chelsea's clash against the Cherries on the south coast, the 51-year-old suggested that the England international was dropped in order to be 'more offensive'.

«Well, I think we’re going to play more offensive today with Mudryk instead of Chilwell,» Pochettino told Sky Sports. While the Ukraine international struggled to break the deadlock for the west Londoners, he did impress before he was replaced by Cole Palmer shortly after the hour mark.

Mudryk has struggled to warrant his eye-watering price tag since joining Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January, but he's hardly been given a run of games in the starting lineup. The 22-year-old winger has been starved of opportunities in the first-team, often feeding off cameo appearances in games where the Blues often find themselves in search of a goal against a low-block opposition.

In fact, he's only ever completed 90 minutes in the Premier League once, starting just eight and coming off the bench in 11. The Ukrainian has also never started more than two games in a row for Chelsea, yet he's faced the brunt of the criticism following Chelsea's slow start to life under Todd Boehly.

Before the international break, Pochettino explained why Mudryk hadn't been given the chance to displace Chilwell