Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has endured a difficult first season in the Premier League.

The 25-year-old Spaniard, who has netted just one league goal in 2018, has suffered with a recurring back problem.

Morata excelled in the first half of the season - but has since lost his place in the Spanish national team ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

He was signed from Real Madrid as a replacement for Diego Costa but is yet to convince the Chelsea fans - or his manager - that he can be the leading man at Stamford Bridge.

"We are not clinical. In the last period we can kill the game, but the game was still in the balance," said Antonio Conte last week.

"If your best scorer has only 12 goals, it is difficult to fight for something important."

Chelsea won the league last season but currently lie fifth in the table, 27 points behind Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Morata on referees

The former Juventus and Real Madrid forward has made a shock revelation about the behaviour of referees in England.

Morata claimed that he has started befriending referees in order to get free-kicks.

"I now know what the Premier League is like and what the referees are like," Morata said to Marca is an exclusive interview. "I'm starting to befriend them now in the final stretch of the season because it's the only way for them to call more fouls for you.

"In the first half of the season it was a crazy thing. I protested a lot.

"One of them even told me that he knew it was a foul, but that he wasn't going to call it for me.

"This is the style of the Premier League and the likeable one ends up being chosen."

Incredible - but maybe Morata should've reported the referee.

The 25-year-old, who is competing with Olivier Giroud for a place in the starting XI, could yet win silverware in his debut season at Chelsea.

Morata scored in the FA Cup semi-final win over Southampton and will be hoping to make an impact against Manchester United in the final.

"In England, the FA Cup is valued a lot," said Morata.

"It has been a difficult year for us, yet we can still be champions of something."