. Ahead of their trip to Upton Park, Chelsea FC manager Jos Mourinho will have no fresh fitness concerns, but whether out-of-form Eden Hazard will start or not, remains a pertinent question.
Eden Hazard, who has been off-colour this season, could again be seen warming the bench on Saturday like last weekend. The Belgian playmaker was brought back to the starting eleven for Chelsea’s champions league clash against Dynamo Kiev, and Mourinho insists he was happy with the 23-year-old’s performance.
a I dona t know [if Hazard will start],a said Mourinho. a He played the last match and played for 90 minutes and he was part of the compact team that kept that clean sheet. Ia m happy with his contribution against Dynamo and thata s it.a , The Portuguese said during Chelsea’s press conference.
Chelsea need Hazard to hit top form again, as it could give the champions a glimmer of hope of defending their title.
Chelsea will be without first choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (knee) and Branislav Ivanovic (hamstring). Striker Loic Remy and Pedro, who did not travel to Kiev in midweek, are also sidelined for this game.
Chelsea have made their worst start to a premier league season with just eleven points in nine outings, and Jose Mourinho has had to face heavy criticism. This is a crucial game for Mourinho, and a win at Upton Park could simmer down the nerves of the Stamford Bridge faithful, as they will have won two successive games in the premier league.