Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater and winger Victor Moses “have to improve” if they want to keep their places, says club manager Maurizio Sarri.

Sarri has said he is uncertain whether the two players will have a future at the club after Drinkwater, 28, has played just once for the Blues this season in the Community Shield while Victor Moses, 27, has played six games, starting in just one.

Previous manager Antonio Conte was used to having regular appearances made by Moses. Under Sarri, Moses has made just six appearances this season, only two being in the Premier League and with just 23 appearances from Drinkwater since his £35m September 2017 transfer from Leicester City.

Sarri has said: “They have to improve, but the characteristics are different. The situation is that Drinkwater for me is not suitable for a midfield with two midfielders,”

Drinkwater is competing for a midfield place alongside N’Golo Kante, Cesc Fabregas and new summer transfers Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic.

During Conte’s reign at Stamford Bridge a 3-4-3 system was employed using Moses and Marcos Alonso as wing-backs. Sarri’s vision of the team is in 4-2-3-1 format is making it hard for Moses to claim his place on the starting team.

Sarri also said “Moses is more suitable for playing like a wing-back than like a winger or a full back.”

He admitted there were more opportunities for squad rotation with the busy Christmas period in the Premier League approaching, where there will be a match every three days.

The only other team to have used fewer players than Chelsea are Wolverhampton Wonderers.