Chelsea hero Joe Cole accuse Lukaku of hiding on the pitch.

Lukaku is enduring a difficult spell at Chelsea, with both Timo Werner and Kai Havertz preferred by Thomas Tuchel. He has not started a Premier League game since February 19 and was once again left out of Tuchel's starting line-up for the FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

When he did come on as a substitute for Havertz in the 77th minute, it did not go well for the £97.5million man. He looked off the pace and somehow hit the post from six yards out with a simple chance from Werner's pinpoint low cross late on.

“I think he's lost all his confidence, he's lost all his self-belief," Cole said on talkSPORT. “I'm looking at him and thinking, 'I've done that'. You can't even control the ball when you've lost your belief and you're not scoring.

“Even coming off the centre-backs and trying to control a simple ball that comes into your feet – the ball is like a live snake coming at you. You're nervous, you tighten up and you mis-control it, then you hear the boos from the crowd. I think he's putting himself in positions where he doesn't want the ball to his feet, so that he can't give it away. It's a shame really, because he's a top player."