Ben Chilwell: 'You have to have confidence in your own ability.'

The 24-year-old is back in Chelsea's starting line-up at Stamford Bridge, netting three times in four top-flight games.

Chilwell is preparing for the Blues' Champions League against Malmo tonight. [Getty]

Chilwell is preparing for the Blues' Champions League against Malmo tonight.

Left-back Ben Chilwell believes Chelsea are flourishing despite the absence of key players due to injuries.

The England international insists he has always believed in his own abilities even with the difficult start to the 2021-22 season.

Chilwell was overlooked for the Blues' opening six Premier League games as Marcos Alonso was Thomas Tuchel's preferred choice, but he is now back into the starting line-up at Stamford Bridge and has scored three times in four top-flight games.

Speaking ahead of the Champions League holders’ away tie to Swedish club Malmo on Tuesday evening, the 24-year-old said: “It is obviously frustrating because as a footballer you want to be playing week in, week out.

“When you’ve got a squad like we do here at Chelsea, with 20, 25 world-class players and two or three fighting in every position, you’ve got to understand you’re not going to play every match and just to support the group.

“(There were) no doubts at all (during that period). As a footballer, you have to have confidence in your own ability.

“I was just keen that I would train hard every day so that when I did get my opportunity I’d give my manager a headache and that’s all I could do really.

“When you come off the back of a Euros in your home country, of course, everyone’s going to be disappointed when they don’t play in that.

“But coming back to Chelsea, I felt I was in a good place to help the team but of course Marcos started the season very well, was here for the whole of pre-season, and had a great start to the season.

“I knew I had to be patient and bide my time.

“And I think that’s a sign of the fact we’ve got such a strong group that’s doing well at the moment because there are no egos in this squad; there is a group of players that want to work hard for the manager, work hard for the club and for each other and whoever gets their opportunity they’re ready.”

The England defender continued: “Scoring goals as a defender isn’t something I get to do a lot.

“When I do score it’s a nice feeling and thankfully last month I was able to help the team with a few goals, got my first goal for England, which was an amazing feeling as well.

“And I think that’s part of my game that the manager now has helped me with most and improved me most – just getting the opportunities in and around the box to be more of a goal threat and contribute more with goals and assists in the team.

“With the way the manager wants us to play, we do spend more time in attacking positions.”

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