Before the title storm
GOAL STAR HAZARD’S PREM RUSH STAMFORD BRIDGE, TODAY, KO 4PM PROBABLE TEAMS
CHELSEA v C PALACE
The Chelsea star has been in stunning form under Maurizio Sarri, and has already scored seven goals and provided three assists, to guide the Blues into contention.
Now, after recovering from a back injury, he has a chance to fill his boots again against Crystal Palace at the Bridge today – but insists that goals aren’t his be-all and end-all.
The Belgian said: “I am not looking at the stats for goals or assists.
“I want to feel good when I am playing, and that’s it.
“I just want to enjoy playing. If the goals are coming, great. But the most important thing is to win games.
“I can score but I am not a striker. I am more like a winger, where I can create a lot of chances as well.”
But Hazard knows that racking up the goals will be crucial if he is to take his game to the next level.
His best Premier League goal tally at Chelsea so far is 16 in 2016-17.
The world’s biggest names, such as Cristiano Ronaldo (inset, top) and Lionel Messi (below), regularly top the 40-goal mark.
But Hazard, whose Premier League record stands at 76 goals and 42 assists in 217 games, has absolutely no doubt about his ability to hit the net this season, as part of an attacking Chelsea side.
He said: “Of course I can score 20 or 25 goals – maybe 40 is a bit too much, but I will try!
“When I have a chance to score, I try to make the right decision.
“If this is to shoot, I will shoot, but if it is to pass, I will pass. You can always improve in football – you can score more goals and have more assists. The team is helping me a lot, so I can improve, for sure.” With Hazard on form, Chelsea believe they have the potential to gatecrash a title race which, pre-season, was set aside for just Manchester City and Liverpool. Last week’s game at Burnley was won comfortably despite Hazard’s absence – and that suggests Chelsea even have the depth to cover for their talisman from time to time when necessary.
The outlook is very different to that of a few months ago, when the Blues were written off by just about everybody.
With a new manager, and memories of a difficult campaign under Antonio Conte in 2017-18 still fresh, few pundits or bookmakers had them down as serious title contenders. How things have changed. Hazard insisted: “We simply didn’t accept this idea.
“People arrived after the World Cup and we changed manager and sometimes when you change manager you need time to do everything at your best. But we have done pretty well.
“We signed good players and we lost some players as well, but the ones who are here are top players.
“We can play good football and that’s why we are winning games. We just want to keep this momentum going.
“The truth is we have the same target every year, which is to win titles and win trophies.
“I think we can challenge Liverpool and City, these are the best teams in the country.
“We are not far away, we are winning games and confidence is high. But let’s stay calm.”