"Sometimes it's better to do that" - Ruben Loftus-Cheek claims Chelsea players didn't view Thomas Tuchel's decision to call off rest day as punishment

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has insisted that Thomas Tuchel's decision to cancel the 'rest day' was viewed in a positive light and not as a punishment by the team.

The Blues surrendered their two-goal lead at home to a spirited Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, 7 May, to draw the game 2-2.

As a result of their lackluster performance, the German manager decided to have a training session on Sunday, which was originally supposed to be an off.

Loftus-Cheek was quizzed about the team's reaction to their extra day on the training ground when he told Sky Sports:

"You'd love to have a game done in the 60th minute but you rarely get that in this league. We went into the training ground the next day. I don't think the players saw it as a punishment at all. We came in and recovered. Sometimes it's better to do that when there's a short turnaround to another game."

The Chelsea midfielder suggested that the decision galvanized the team who have now been winless in their last three games. They now look forward to facing Leeds United on Wednesday, 11 May.

"We had a chat amongst ourselves just to make sure we're all on the same page and the same wavelength going into the Leeds game," he said. "It's important for us to stay together."

The club's new owner Todd Boehly was in attendance at Stamford Bridge for their clash against the Wolves as he got his first taste of Premier League football. Loftus-Cheek was on the pitch for the entire 90 minutes and also saw his goal ruled out by VAR for an offside call in the first half.

Romelu Lukaku's brace was arguably the biggest positive to be drawn from the game. But the Blues will want to tighten their defense after having conceded late goals.

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Chelsea can salvage their season with a couple of good results this week

As things stand, the Stamford Bridge faithful are in a state of nervousness with their team embroiled in the fight for the top-four. Arsenal are currently in fourth position with 66 points, trailing the Blues by just one point. Hence, if Chelsea fail to win against Leeds United, their third spot could be in real trouble.

More importantly, Tuchel's side will have an opportunity to secure domestic silverware in the FA Cup final against Liverpool on Saturday, 14 May. The Reds beat the west London club in the EFL Cup in February and, based on recent form, will fancy securing another trophy at Chelsea's cost.

Winning these two games this week will give the Blues a massive boost to end their season on a high. Todd Boehly will hope his team is able to deliver the first men's trophy of the American's tenure almost immediately after having secured the Women's Super League title.