Glenn Hoddle and Eni Aluko disagree over Thomas Tuchel's decision to drop Romelu Lukaku

Glenn Hoddle has backed Thomas Tuchel’s decision to drop Romelu Lukaku for Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Lille, but Eniola Aluko feel the move is ‘harsh’ and says she ‘feel sorry’ for the striker.

Tuchel made three changes from the Chelsea side that beat Crystal Palace on Saturday, with Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso and Mateo Kovacic coming in.

The decision to drop £97.5m club-record signing Lukaku raised eyebrows but Hoddle understands Tuchel’s thinking and says it was ‘time’ to take him out of the firing line.

Lukaku’s axing comes just three days after he managed only seven touches in the 1-0 win at Selhurst Park, with the Belgium international setting an unwanted Premier League record in the process.

‘It’s obviously a big call but I think it’s the right one,’ former England manager Hoddle said on BT Sport.

‘He’s not been playing well enough and any manager has got the right to drop a player if he’s not playing up to his very best.

‘Since that interview, let’s face it, he’s been nowhere near his best. He’s had an injury, he had that stupid interview which upset everything, it’s upset him more than anything.

‘At the end of the day, it’s time to take him out, they weren’t doing too bad without him with no recognised centre forward.’

Aluko has more sympathy for Lukaku, however, and says Chelsea are not ‘playing to his strengths’, with the 28-year-old scoring just five goals in 17 Premier League games this season.

The former Chelsea forward said: ‘There has been a debate over how much he fits into the system. There’s no doubt Lukaku wants to play in a big Champions League match so it’s a statement to the player.

‘There’s a negative conversation around him at the moment but I feel sorry for him. There’s no