Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink believes that youth players need to be exposed to senior football steadily.

The Dutchman also touched on the importance of youngsters training with the senior squad in order to gain the experience needed to step up to the first team.

Hiddink handed youth striker Tammy Abraham his senior debut in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday night and spoke of the need to slowly blood talented youngsters so they are not overexposed.

After the game, he said: "As soon as possible, they must step up, but it's not easy.

"First, they must play with men who have experienced Premier League football for a long time.

"You can give a lot of youngsters their debut, but don't go over the top because it's not easy to make the last step, and they would be exposed without yet having the quality or the substance to do so."