HAZARD ALL SET FOR TEST OF CHARACTER
STAMFORD Bridge was empty and defeat sinking in when Eden Hazard was stopped on the way to his car and quizzed about the interest from Real Madrid. ‘You want to get me in trouble?’ Hazard told the TV reporter. ‘No, I’m fine at Chelsea. I have things to finish this year. I still have a contract until 2020. So I’m fine here.’ Music to the ears of the Chelsea supporters, at least, as they suffered a league defeat for just the second time in six months. Seven points clear with nine games left, it is hard to envisage the Palace defeat triggering a fullscale Devon Loch collapse by Chelsea with the Premier League winning post in sight. Yet with Manchester City next at the Bridge on Wednesday, Chelsea’s nerve is about to be tested. ‘This league was not finished before this game and it is not finished now,’ said Chelsea boss Antonio Conte. ‘At the end, if we deserve to win the title we will be very happy. ‘If someone else deserves the title it means they have played better than us.’ Conte will not over-react after Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke struck twice to counter Cesc Fabregas’ opener. ‘Our performance was good because we dominated the game and we created many chances to score. This kind of defeat can happen,’ he said. ‘I don’t change my mentality. In England, every game is tough whether the name of your next opponent is City or another team.’ Hazard said of the defeat: ‘It is a pity. It is a beautiful series of victories which stops but we cannot win everything. We knew it was going to be difficult on Wednesday. But it is a good game to start over again.’