Antonio Conte has challenged Eden Hazard to repeat his dazzling performance against Atletico Madrid when Chelsea face title rivals Manchester City today. Hazard was in fine form on Wednesday as Chelsea became the first English team to win at Atletico with a 2-1 success in the Champions League.
The 26-year-old was making only his second start of the season in Madrid. Now Hazard is poised for his first Premier League start of the campaign following three substitute appearances after surgery on his ankle.
With Premier League leaders City looking strong, Blues boss Conte wants Hazard to help the champions draw level on points with the leaders at Stamford Bridge. “If he was able to play one game like the last game against Atletico Madrid it means he’s ready now to play with continuity,” Conte said yesterday.
“For us he’s an important player. Last season he had an important season, he played very well, he performed as a top player. I’m very happy for him.”
City’s swaggering start to the season has won plenty of admirers, with Pep Guardiola’s free-scoring side installed as favourites to dethrone Chelsea. While Guardiola is a rival today, that didn’t stop Conte expressing his admiration for the Spaniard’s purist principles.
“I think every coach must have an own style of football. For sure I have great respect for Pep. I think he’s the best,” he said. “Every coach tries always every day to take more information, new ideas and then try to elaborate with your thoughts. I think Pep is a really good coach. I like to watch his game.”
Guardiola will be without Sergio Aguero after the City striker sustained a broken rib in a car crash on his day off in Holland on Thursday. Responding to that news, Conte told his players they must take responsibility for themselves in their own time. “When you have your day off, you must take your own responsibility to try to make the best decision for you, for the team, for the club,” Conte said.
Conte felt striker Alvaro Morata has adapted well to the physical demands of regularly starting for the Premier League champions and his recent form is no surprise.
Former Real Madrid and Juventus forward Morata has made a strong start in English football, scoring six goals in as many games to tie with Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku and Aguero as the league’s top scorers.
Morata also scored in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Atletico and was seen limping after the game. But Conte says the 24-year-old is fully fit to face City. “I am not surprised because I know Alvaro very well. To arrive and to go well in this league is not simple,” Conte said. “He has improved his physical condition. This is his first chance to play regularly as a No. 9. Don’t forget his experiences at Juventus and Real Madrid, he didn’t play regularly.” Conte said suspended defender David Luiz, who was sent off against Arsenal earlier this month, will be missed during the City game.
For City, the Aguero blow comes after they discovered this week that France defender Benjamin Mendy ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in last weekend’s win over Crystal Palace.
Guardiola doesn’t expect Mendy to be back in action until April. “Mendy will be operated on in Barcelona. He will be out until our semi-finals of the Champions League,” he added. Guardiola also confirmed City captain Vincent Kompany won’t be involved at Stamford Bridge.
United will be huge favourites to beat basement club Crystal Palace at Old Trafford today. Far from soaring, the Eagles have lost all six of their league matches so far this season and have still to score their first top-flight goal of a campaign where they have already sacked Frank de Boer and brought in former England boss Roy Hodgson — a boyhood Palace fan — in a bid to arrest their slump.
Tottenham Hotspur, fresh from seeing England striker Harry Kane score a hat-trick in a 3-0 Champions League win away to APOEL Nicosia, are at surprise high-flyers Huddersfield while Watford will look to consolidate their position in the top half at West Bromwich Albion.
Elsewhere West Ham, with just Bournemouth and Palace below them in the table, will hope to ease the pressure on manager Slaven Bilic when they welcome Swansea to the London Stadium, while Southampton are away to Stoke.
The pick of tomorrow’s three Premier League matches sees Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez up against former club Liverpool, who this week drew 1-1 away to Spartak Moscow in the Champions League, at St James’ Park in a fixture long known for producing high-scoring encounters. Arsenal and Everton, fresh from Europa League duty, are at home to Brighton and Burnley respectively.

Fixtures (1400 GMT unless stated)
Today: Bournemouth v Leicester, Chelsea v Manchester City (1630 GMT), Huddersfield v Tottenham (1130 GMT), Manchester United v Crystal Palace, Stoke v Southampton, West Brom v Watford, West Ham v Swansea
Tomorrow: Arsenal v Brighton (1100 GMT), Everton v Burnley (1315 GMT), Newcastle v Liverpool (1430 GMT)