Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has placed blame on a back injury for ruining his first season in the Premier League.

The Spaniard was signed in the summer from Real Madrid for a club-record £70million, but has failed to live up to expectations with just 14 goals from 40 appearances this season.

Morata looked to have made a seamless transition to English football, having scored seven times in his first eight games, but after suffering a back injury in December has found the back of the net on just two occasions since.

Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has admitted he made a mistake by trying to play with an injury

Despite carrying the injury, Morata continued to play through the pain barrier and now admits it was a mistake on his behalf.

It is understood he went to see a specialist in Germany earlier this year to help cure the problem. But the striker, who scored in Chelsea's 3-1 defeat by Tottenham on Easter Sunday, feels he should have taken a break to make a quicker recovery.

'Everything was good until I had the problems with my back,' he said. 'I played with a lot of pain and it probably would have been better if I'd stopped.

Morata made a positive start to his Chelsea career, scoring seven times in his first eight games

'But I wanted to play with my team-mates, for the club and the fans. Now it's in the past.

'My first year could have been better, but there are still more games to go and we have a chance to win the FA Cup.'

Winning that trophy will now be their priority with the reigning champions languishing in fifth place in the Premier League and a Champions League qualification spot almost out of question.

Southampton stand in the way of Chelsea progressing to the FA Cup final where they will play either Manchester United or Tottenham if they can beat the Premier League strugglers.

But the Spaniard suffered a back injury in December and has struggled for form since

Even if they do manage to pull it off, winger Willian admitted it would not make up for their substandard campaign.

He told Sportsmail: 'This season has been difficult because we have lost a lot of points, especially at home. That is why we are in this position now.

'We are Chelsea. We always want to win titles but of course we have to win the FA Cup to finish the season well. If we win this title it will not make up for this season.

'I think our target was to stay in the top four and we are fifth. The only title we can win is the FA Cup so we go for that. Next season we will be back stronger to try to win again.'