Chris Sutton: How Chelsea summer signing has put pressure on Michy Batshuayi
The Chelsea legend claims that Alvaro Morata has put pressure on Michy Batshuayi following the summer signing's brilliant start to the season
Chris Sutton believes Alvaro Morata’s form has put pressure on Chelsea back-up striker Michy Batshuayi.
The Belgium international was drafted into the Chelsea team to replace Morata for the defending champions’ trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
The 24-year-old striker lasted 57 minutes before the Belgian forward substituted at Selhurst Park with Chelsea losing 2-1 to the Premier League’s basement club.
Spanish winger Pedro Rodriguez replaced Batshuayi but the title holders couldn’t find an equaliser as the Blues slumped to successive top-flight defeats.
Morata is currently sidelined with a hamstring problem after the £58m summer signing scored six goals in seven games in the Premier League since his move from Real Madrid.
The Spain international has also scored a vital Champions League goal in a 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid to make a brilliant start to his Blues career.
However, former Chelsea striker Sutton believes Morata’s impressive form has put Batshuayi under more pressure at Stamford Bridge to impress.
“To come in and replace Morata who started the season really strongly, scored plenty of goals and looked a handful – that puts the pressure on him,” Sutton told Metro.
“So when Chelsea fail as they did at the weekend he comes under extreme scrutiny.
“But you can’t get away from the fact he was poor at the weekend and I have to say they missed Morata.”
Batshuayi scored the goal that secured Conte’s first Premier League title as Chelsea boss last term after his winner at West Bromwich Albion with two games to spare.
Chelsea signed the Belgian striker in a £33m deal from Ligue 1 side Marseille in the 2016 summer transfer window.
