Lukaku’s a big believer in Koeman

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku is happy to put in the hard yards for manager Ronald Koeman because he believes in the Dutchman’s vision for the club.

The Belgian scored four times in a match for the first time in his career in Saturday’s frantic 6-3 win at home to Bournemouth but only rated it his thirdbest performance.

However, he looks like a player with a new lease of life. The big front man already has 17 goals this campaign – 16 of which have made him the Premier League’s top scorer – and he believes his hard work is paying off for everyone.

“Iamaguythatworks really hard at the training ground. I know that hard work will pay off,” he said.

“Whatever the manager told me at the start of the season I just stuck to it.

“I believed in his philosophy of football and it helped me going forward. I trust the process that he wants to do with this football club.

“For me, it is not different to Roberto Martinez. They both helped me in different ways. I learn from them a lot of stuff.

“I learned from Martinez about my movements, he taught me so much about that.

“The manager now is just helping me with the extra details, with the pressing of the balls and with my running off the ball and also the mental aspect of the game.

“He wants me to be focused at any time because he knows with my finishing if I have the ball in the last minute of the game I can decide the game.

“I’m delivering in whatever situations he wants me to play in.”

Lukaku will gun for Sunderland on February 25, having plundered a hattrick in the reverse meeting in September.

Eden Hazard reflected on a special goal after tearing through Arsenal to consolidate Chelsea’s place at the top of the Premier League.

The Belgian ran half the length of the field and evaded any would-be tacklers before netting his 10th goal of the season.

“I score a few goals, a few beautiful goals,” Hazard said. “But this one is special. It’s against Arsenal and we won the game.

“This one is one of the best.”