For the second consecutive Premier League, Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri used Eden Hazard in the false nine role alongside Pedro and Willian, with both games ending in wins.
Hazard scored one and assisted another as he ran the show in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Brighton on Sunday at the Amex Stadium.
Hazard’s goal against Brighton was his eight league goal of the season and his assist for Pedro’s goal is his ninth of the season. No other player in Europe’s top five leagues has provided more assists than Hazard this season.
Hazard also provided the assist for both goals in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Manchester City last weekend.
Sarri’s comments about Hazard will surely worry Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata about their future roles.
“I think that, for us, he could be very important in this position,” Sarri said about Hazard after Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Brighton.
“He’s very able to come out and play with his team-mates, he is very able to create spaces.
“Now I think that, in that position, he has to improve in attacking the box.”
Morata failed to make the squad for the game against Brighton after picking up an injury in the 2-2 draw with Vidi in the Europa League on Thursday while Giroud was benched.