Cesc Fabregas: I didn't talk to team-mates after losing Chelsea spot

The Spaniard was speaking after making his 300th Premier League appearance in Saturday's 3-1 win over Swansea City.

Making only his sixth league start of the season, Fabregas gave manager Antonio Conte plenty of food for thought with a goal and an assist at Stamford Bridge as the league leaders opened up a 10-point advantage in the standings.

Speaking about losing his starting spot on the squad under Conte's new management, Fabregas admitted: "In the beginning when I didn't play, I told people not even to speak to me because I was really upset."

Though Conte initially had doubts Fabregas hopes his landmark appearance would have gone some way to reassure the boss of the West London side.

"I can understand there are doubts with the philosophy of the manager," he said. "He came in, wanted to see if I could adapt and I can understand that. I'm someone who wants to play with the ball, maybe not so much the defensive side. But it shows I adapted to the way he wants to play and hopefully I can play more."

Fabregas added that "experience and maturity" helped him overcome his time in the no man's land of the substitute bench.

"Experience helps you understand that the most important thing is always the team. Experience and maturity gives you this.

"Don't get me wrong," he added, "I want to play. Every football player wants to play every single minute but sometimes you have to fight for it. The easy way is to escape, to run away, to sulk and to want to leave, to create a drama.

"In my mind, I decided I want to challenge myself. Not everything comes easy in life, sometimes you have to fight certain situations you are not used to. But hopefully I have shown the manager he can trust me.

"Hopefully I've reversed the situation from the beginning of the season. I decided I wanted to challenge myself. Not everything comes easy in life, sometimes you have to fight certain situations you are not used to and hopefully I can keep playing like that to keep my place."

Chelsea next travel to face London rivals West Ham United, in ninth place, on March 6.