Danny Drinkwater starts for Chelsea vs Peterborough having last played competitive game for Blues 1,077 DAYS ago

CHELSEA’s forgotten man Danny Drinkwater started the Blues’ pre-season friendly against Peterborough on Saturday having not played a competitive game for the club for 1,077 DAYS.

The former Leicester ace featured alongside fellow returning loanee Ross Barkley in midfield as Thomas Tuchel gave his players some valuable minutes.

Chelsea’s starting XI was: Wayne Cumming, Jake Clarke-Salter, Trevoh Chalobah, Malang Sarr; Davide Zappacosta, Drinkwater, Barkley, Marcos Alonso; Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham.

And goals from Abraham and Pulisic put the West Londoners 2-0 up at Cobham by half-time.

Hakim Ziyech bagged a hat-trick and fellow sub Armando Broja also got his name on the scoresheet in the behind-closed-doors clash that finished 6-1 to the Blues.

Drinkwater spent the second half of last season on loan at Turkish side Kasimpasa but is back in London fighting for his future despite not playing for Chelsea for three years.

Drinkwater joined several of Chelsea’s returning loan army at training at Cobham earlier this week.

Blues laid on sessions for those players who were not involved with their international teams this summer.

And preparations for the rapidly approaching Premier League season have stepped up a notch with the game against the Posh.

Drinkwater, 31, played 11 times for Turkish outfit Kasimpasa after joining on loan in January in a bid to revive his career.

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He didn’t score or assist any goals and is unlikely to feature in Chelsea’s squad once the Premier League has started and Tuchel has his full quota of players available.

Drinkwater recently said he hopes to rediscover his love for football and thinks he can break into the Blues’ first team.

The midfielder joined Chelsea a year after winning the Premier League with Leicester but the £35million switch has not gone to plan.

Drinkwater has only made 23 competitive appearances for Chelsea, almost all of which came under Antonio Conte in an injury-hit debut season.

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