Gareth Southgate believes Chelsea’s senior players felt threatened by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
The 21-year-old played just 31 minutes in the Premier League last season and was sent out on loan to Crystal Palace for the 2017-18 campaign.
More: Football
Loftus-Cheek impressed in his England debut on Friday evening, although Southgate’s side could not find a way past Germany at Wembley.
And the England manager believes the midfielder is starting to shine after a tough season under Antonio Conte.
‘He has been able to battle through difficult spells at Chelsea, training with senior players who recognise his talent so get into him in training,’ said Southgate.
‘Have they kept him in his place? Yes, I imagine they probably saw the threat.
‘This season, going out and playing, has helped him.
‘In the early season I saw him [for Palace] and he showed flashes of what we saw against Germany. I think he can affect big matches like he did.’
