Mudryk must do dirty work if he's to deliver

Popular Ukrainian needs to show team spirit over individual talent

- Nizaar Kinsella & Dom Smith

MYKHAILO MUDRYK is slowly rebuilding his confidence, but it is resolving flaws in his game that will be key to his long-term success.

Under both personal and collective pressure, the 23-year-old winger was back among the goals in a crucial 3-2 FA Cup win over Leeds in midweek. The Ukrainian produced an excellent volleyed strike for his under-fire manager Mauricio Pochettino to buy him more time and reach a Cup quarter-final against Leicester this month.

Mudryk stepped up when needed, but it was a tough February.

As one of Chelsea's expensive new signings he joined 13 months ago in an £88million deal from Shakhtar Donetsk he was part of the group labelled "billion-pound bottlejobs" by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville after last Sunday's Carabao Cup Final defeat.

Mudryk was, arguably, one of those most at fault for the result, having just 10 touches of the ball and failing to make an impact in extra-time, as Liverpool's academy players outplayed Chelsea to regain control of the match and win 1-0.