The Belgium worldwide has suffered an almighty fall from grace since picking up last season’s PFA Player of the Year award and leading the Blues to the 2015/16 Premier League title.
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Hazard struck twice – his first Premier League goals this term – and Pedro and Willian found the net too, as Chelsea eased to victory on the south coast.
Interim manager Guus Hiddink assured Chelsea fans the Blues would do “everything in our power” to beat Tottenham on Monday, May 2 at Stamford Bridge, following Saturday’s 4-1 win at Bournemouth.
Second-placed Tottenham are Chelsea’s next opponents, and Hiddink underlined his players’ commitment to that game, saying: “We play the next game to win”.
“In football you never know”. We played a side who are very good in the build-up of the game and from that they create good chances.
“Listen, I know the fans are desperate for us to beat Tottenham, no matter what the circumstances are, title or no title”, he explained. When he is there fully fit physically and mentally – which is always an influence on each other – then he is one of the best. “The way the team plays reflects the way the coach is working”.
“He’s had a very bad season, and that’s very hard for a talented, high quality player like him”.
“We want to attack, we want to be courageous and, so far, it has worked for us so we are not going to veer from that”. “He has some more years to go on his contract”.
“I don’t want Spurs to win it and, for what they’ve done through the season, I would love Leicester to win the Premier League”.
“The overall evolution of the team is to progress and become stronger”. “But at that time we brought Pato in on loan, he played one and a half games, and in training I see him”.
The goals were his first in the league since May 2015, a staggering statistic that few would have believed this time last season; now he will be hoping to finish the campaign the way he expected to start it.
Eddie Howe’s team responded well and squandered a golden opportunity to equalise after Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic failed to collect a corner, only for Steve Cook to fire over from just six yards.
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“Spurs are pushing hard to get as close to them as possible but I think Leicester will win it and deservedly”.
