Cesc Fabregas admits being frozen out at Chelsea this season has been tough.

The midfielder scored two fine goals in extra-time to help his side come from behind to beat Leicester City 4-2 in the EFL Cup.

He said: “It's been tough, I'm not going to deny it. But the last thing I will do is complain, just give up or feel down.

“Something from inside of me is coming out that is stronger than ever and I feel like a little boy training trying to win my spot back, as I used to do at Arsenal when I was 16.

“I always give my everything. You can have worst days, you can have moments when maybe you're not at your best, but I always give my best. I have been training very hard and it is a new situation for me in my career after 13 years of basically playing in everything for clubs and the national team.

“Football, after my family, is everything to me. It's always been like that. It's a new situation but you have to accept it, you have to be professional, you have to keep your attitude.

“All my team-mates deserve my respect, my coach deserves respect because I know he wants to win and if he doesn't play me, there is always a reason. Hopefully, he can see what I'm doing and that I deserve to play."