Chelsea star to return in time for Arsenal game
Eden Hazard is in line to give Guus Hiddink a boost for Chelsea’s visit to Arsenal on Sunday by making a return to the first-team squad.
It will be three weeks since the Belgian sustained a hip injury against Crystal Palace.
But last year’s PFA Player of the Year is back in training in sufficient time to get fit for the London derby at Emirates Stadium, according to the Daily Mail.
Chelsea are remarkably still way lower down the table than they expected, sitting in 14th place, and will face the unfamiliar prospect of making the trip from west to north London to play an Arsenal side top of the table and expecting three points.
The return of Hazard should, in theory, help the Blues get a result, although the 25-year-old is the shadow of his best which was a major factor in Chelsea winning the league last season.
Hiddink said last week he would need a good few days of training in the build-up to Sunday’s showdown, and it would appear he has won his battle to put himself in contention.
We have to be a little bit careful not to fall again with a setback.
That is why I say he [Hazard] must have some tough, intense training sessions Tuesday to Thursday before he plays.
Hazard is yet to score in the league or UEFA Champions League this season so Arsenal may fear Hazard coming back to his best following his injury. Whether he plays, Arsenal have two in-form full backs – in Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin – and would also be confident of thwarting what Hazard could bring to the Chelsea team.