Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has insisted that Andreas Christensen being preferred to David Luiz remains "a tactical decision".
At the start of the month, Luiz was allegedly dropped from the Chelsea squad to face Manchester United due to questioning Conte's tactics, and the Brazilian was only on the bench when the Blues defeated West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
However, Conte has suggested that it is the form of Christensen which continues to see Luiz spend a period out of the starting lineup.
The 48-year-old is quoted by Football.London as saying: "I have always answered that it was a tactical decision. Every game I have to try to make the best decision for the team, and if I'm taking this decision it means Christensen is deserving to play.
"I think Christensen is playing very well but we have to play a lot of games, and we have to play every three days. We need all the players and to have different solutions [is good] - last season in this position I didn't have this opportunity."
Both players will hope to feature when Chelsea face Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
Darren Plant
