Chelsea forward Kai Havertz doesn't deserve to be starting games based on current form, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The £150,000 per-week star has struggled in the early weeks of the campaign, but Phillips reckons he might keep his place in Thomas Tuchel's side simply by default.

How has Havertz performed this season?

It's been an underwhelming opening three fixtures for the Blues, and Havertz's form has been at the front of their problems.

GiveMeSport The Verdict

GiveMeSport The Verdict

He's scored just twice in the Premier League since the middle of March and his lack of confidence has been clear to see in the early weeks of the season.

Havertz has registered just two shots on target in more than four hours of top-flight action, notably missing a golden opportunity against Tottenham from a pinpoint Reece James cross.

According to WhoScored, Havertz has been Chelsea's ninth-best player, and Phillips reckons that he would be extremely fortunate to be named in the starting XI once again for Leicester's visit to Stamford Bridge.

What did Phillips say about Havertz?

He told GIVEMESPORT: "I still have a lot of faith in Havertz, I still think he's got a lot of potential, but on current form, there's no way he should be starting the way he's played in the first three games.

"But Armando Broja has taken a bit of a knock and I do expect him to be back in training, so he does have a chance to start, but if he's not fit, Chelsea don't have any options, so it will have to be Havertz."

Could Havertz be dropped?

Despite Havertz's slow start to the campaign potentially warranting him losing his place in the side, as Phillips alluded to, he might get picked again simply because Chelsea don't have anyone else.

With Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner offloaded and Tuchel yet to bring in a striker, Havertz is the Blues' only recognised central option currently fit.

That's because Broja missed the defeat at Leeds with an 'unspecified injury,' although Tuchel said that he would only be out for 'a couple of days' and Phillips reckons that he will soon return to the grass, so he could definitely come into the German's thinking.

But beyond Broja, Chelsea's attacking options are non-existent, with Hakim Ziyech or Christian Pulisic unlikely to be tasked with leading the line, regardless of how Havertz is playing.  

Therefore, that should allow the ex-Bayer Leverkusen star to make his fourth league start on the bounce.