Eden Hazard’s form is bad news for Chelsea’s Premier League title challengers, according to Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.
The Belgian has once again been the star player in the league over the first two months of the season, and United head to Stamford Bridge with their opponents locked together with Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the table.
Mourinho said: “The results speak by themselves. Obviously they are not playing Champions League, and that puts (their focus) just on the Premier League.
ICYMI! @hazardeden10 has been named the EA Sports Premier League Player of the Month for September! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/7V08iyfRwv
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 13, 2018
“Very good results, top of the league and of course lots of good players but history says that when Eden Hazard is the best player in the Premier League, Chelsea is the champion.”
In an interview last weekend with a Belgian newspaper, Hazard named Mourinho as the one manager he would like to work with again.
Mourinho welcomed the sentiment – but is not about to get his hopes up.
“I would love to have him in Manchester United but I don’t think Chelsea will sell him to Manchester United,” said the United boss.
“He’s a nice kid, we had a good relationship, we were champions together. He was for the first time the best player of the Premier League with me, so I think the feelings are good.”
United go into the clash sitting seven points adrift of Chelsea but at least with positive feelings from their last match two weeks ago when they recovered from two down to beat Newcastle.
The comeback saw a gung-ho United that many fans have been crying out for, but Mourinho insisted he is trying to get his team playing attacking football all the time.
“We try,” he said. “The key is for the players to be able to do it.”
Mourinho has lost on all three visits to Stamford Bridge since leaving the club for the second time, and insisted there will be no wild celebrations if he manages to change that this time.
“I think I would try always to control myself and to respect the stadium and the supporters that were my supporters for many years,” he said.
The United boss has been given an extension until Wednesday to answer a Football Association charge of using abusive, insulting or improper language following the victory over Newcastle.
United have been fined 15,000 euros (£13,200) by UEFA for the late kick-off in their Champions League match against Valencia at Old Trafford earlier this month. Mourinho was also warned over the same matter.
