Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HE HAZ TO RULE THE WORLD
Fabregas tells Eden: Be more selfish and you’ll challenge Messi for No.1
IT might prove to be the most important goal of the entire season. And it came from an “unstoppable” player destined to be the best in the world. Eden Hazard led the charge of the blue cavalry, scored a brilliant goal (right) and with it changed the momentum, not just in the FA Cup, but also the title race. Chelsea were under the cosh, they were being outplayed by Tottenham and that is when big players stand up to be counted. Hazard’s brilliant Wembley cameo helped win a semi-final classic but also came on the back of some training ground pep talks designed to put him on the path to greatness. Blues midfielder Cesc Fabregas played with Lionel Messi at Barcelona and believes Hazard will one day be his worthy successor as world No.1. “Ability wise, there is only one player above him and we all know who he is: Messi. Ability-wise he’s up there with the best,” said Fabregas. “I’ve told him many, many times, he needs to be selfish sometimes and have that killer instinct to score more goals and then he will be whatever he wants to be. “I’ve played with many players and, sometimes, when we have a counter-attack and it’s two against two, and he passes the ball, I tell him, ‘You have the capability to score by yourself. Do it’. “He has to do it more often. He has to be more selfish sometimes, as all the top players are. And then he will be unstoppable.” It was a pretty daunting sight for Tottenham who, despite bossing the game at 2-2, were suddenly confronted with Hazard, Fabregas and Diego Costa coming off the bench. Spurs had twice come from behind but were pinning Chelsea back and
you can only imagine defeat for Antonio Conte’s men would have been a huge psychological blow for their title hopes too. But Hazard’s goal – a fierce shot from a halfcleared corner – together with Fabregas’ class in midfield – means it is Chelsea now raising questions about Tottenham. Conte’s gamble to start with three big players on the bench paid off as it gives them a breather for tomorrow’s game with Southampton and they won it for him anyway. Willian’s free-kick put Chelsea ahead, Harry Kane drew Tottenham level before Willian scored a penalty before the break. Dele Alli made it all square again, before Hazard and then Nemanja Matic’s thunderbolt wrapped it up. Spurs were terrific, but Chelsea were clinical and ruthless. Their bench was world class, Tottenham’s squad is their weakness. That may yet also be a deciding factor in the title race. Fabregas believes Chelsea can now go on to clinch the Double. He said: “If you can achieve that, it’s something special and very difficult nowadays, especially here in England. Because in Spain you can do it. In Germany and Italy, too. “But doing it here would be something to be very proud of. To do that, though, we have to work very hard, have a bit of luck, and to be very consistent until the end of the season. “But Southampton didn’t play for 10 days and it will be a very tough match. “It’s one of the most important games of the season.”