The path to full fitness has not been straightforward for Loftus-Cheek following the serious Achilles injury he sustained in May 2019. As a tall, strong midfielder he relies on his robustness and speed to affect games, alongside his natural technical ability, and those qualities have been compromised over the course of his career by the regular niggles he has sustained.

• Newcastle vs Chelsea match preview

• Why Conor Gallagher is in the England squad

• 'We want to go into the World Cup break on a high'

However, the good news is those issues appear to be a thing of the past. Loftus-Cheek finished last season impressively, starting seven of our last 10 league games, starring in the Bernabeu in the Champions League, and scoring a crucial goal against his former loan club Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final.

The Cobham graduate has picked up where he left off, starting 11 of our 13 league games this term and coming off the bench in the other two.

‘I’m in a phase now where I feel really good, I’m fit, I’m healthy and I’m playing,’ Loftus-Cheek states ahead of our next assignment at Newcastle.

‘I have had a lot of challenges physically and mentally that have halted my development and made things difficult. The injuries I’ve had have been very difficult to deal with. I have had so much time off the pitch. I haven’t developed as much as I would have liked but that’s how it goes.

‘The first thing I wanted after so many setbacks and injuries was to feel happy and healthy, and now I do. It makes you appreciate the career you’ve had and how I’m feeling now.

‘It’s a good foundation for me to progress,’ continues the 26-year-old.

‘Now I’m playing I want to develop more as a player and help the team as much as I can. I think the more you play well your goals will naturally get higher and more challenging, so I’m looking forward to it.’

The collective ambitions at Chelsea have taken a hit in recent weeks and we travel to St James’ Park today without a win in four Premier League games.

We face a Newcastle side who have emerged as genuine top-four rivals and Loftus-Cheek believes it is as must-win a game as any we play in an increasingly competitive top division.

‘The standard in the Premier League is getting higher and higher every season,’ he notes.

‘No game is easy. The top team in the Premier League can lose against the bottom. That’s why it’s the best league in the world and the most enjoyable league to play in - the challenges you have every weekend, every three days right now. You wouldn’t want it any other way.’