Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta admits being dropped for victory over Swansea City surprised him.

Before that 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge, Azpilicueta had not missed a ­single minute of Premier League ­action for nearly two years.

He said: “It was a nice run. I never thought about the amount of games I played in a row — all 90 minutes.

“But I would try to beat that mark, and I'm pleased for the number of games because I know it's difficult.

“I want to play every game, but the manager makes the best decisions for the team. It was important we won (against Swansea)."