Difficult to accommodate Loftus-Cheek in first team - Sarri

Soccer Football - Europa League - Group Stage - Group L - Chelsea v BATE Borisov - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - October 25, 2018 Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek celebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

(Reuters) - Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri believes he has a "tactical problem" as he struggles to slot Ruben Loftus-Cheek in his first-choice lineup despite the midfielder's hat-trick in the Europa League win over BATE Borisov.

Making the most of a rare start for Sarri's side, Loftus-Cheek inspired Chelsea to a 3-1 Europa League win over the Belarus champions at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

But Sarri said only defensive improvements could lead to more chances for Loftus-Cheek, who remains below N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and Ross Barkley in the pecking order.

Soccer Football - Europa League - Group Stage - Group L - Chelsea v BATE Borisov - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - October 25, 2018 Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek scores their first goal REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

"We have four midfielders and three of them have the same characteristics," Sarri told BT Sport.

"They are offensive midfielders, only one has other characteristics - Kante is a defensive midfielder. So it is very difficult to put in the starting XI two midfielders with the same characteristics.

"We have a tactical problem with the midfielders."

Soccer Football - Europa League - Group Stage - Group L - Chelsea v BATE Borisov - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - October 25, 2018 Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek celebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Chelsea, who currently two points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City, visit 13th-placed Burnley on Sunday.

(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)