Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has told misfiring striker Fernando Torres to buck up as he will not compromise the team for the Spaniard.
Former Liverpool ace has received much criticism after scoring only one goal in 21 appearances for the Blues since arriving in January for £50 million. Villas-Boas started the 27-year-old in Chelsea's three Premier League games but he is still waiting to see Torres' first competitive goal since he took over.
This does not portend well for Torres, who was dropped from the Spain squad that beat Liechtenstein 6-0 on Tuesday due to his poor club form.
Villas-Boas believes that the Spaniard will return to form after regaining confidence, though the former Porto manager will not compromise Chelsea's title challenge for the sake of the striker.
He told the Daily Mirror: "He didn't lose his talent talent because he's played 21 games and only scored one goal. The talent is there and the question is regaining confidence.
"That comes from training and from time and finding the back of the net, so we have to persist.
"But it can't compromise the team. The moment it compromises the team it has to come to an end."
"I don't make a first choice team, just the choice for the next game.
"Fernando started the first three games and Didier came off the bench. We make choices regarding what we see. I have no problem dropping players."
Torres will have two more matches to pay back his boss' faith in him as Didier Drogba recovers from his concussion injury after being knocked out by Norwich stopper John Ruddy.
"Didier has to be authorised to make a full return to training," said the Blues boss. "The first days after the incident he was in tremendous pain and while he's had complete support since we have to make sure he's fully recovered before he comes back to training because they are the right requirements neurologically.
"We will push it to limit to get him available for Manchester United, although he will miss Sunderland and probably Bayer Leverkusen."
Torres will lead Chelsea's attack against Sunderland on Saturday at the Stadium of Light.
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