Loftus Cheek scored a hat-trick against BATE Borisov on Thursday [Courtesy]

Chelsea have one foot in the Europa League knockout stages after Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s hat-trick sank BATE Borisov.

The midfielder gave Maurizio Sarri’s second string the lead just 96 seconds into the game against the 14-time Belarusian champions when he turned home Davide Zappacosta ’s cross.

And he effectively killed the fixture as a contest little more than six minutes later when he hooked Willian’s corner past BATE keeper Denis Scherbitski.

He then completed his treble with a well-placed finish less than nine minutes into the second half, with Aleksey Rios’s 79th-minute goal just a consolation for BATE.

The opener was Loftus-Cheek’s first goal since April, when he scored for loan side Crystal Palace against Leicester.

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He completed his treble with a well-placed finish less than nine minutes into the second half [Courtesy]

While his last goal for Chelsea came two years before that one, away at Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The Blues stayed top of Group L and a win against BATE in Belarusia in a fortnight will secure their safe passage into the next round.