Jose Mourinho says Chelsea's Eden Hazard key to Premier League club's title challenge

Belgian has once again been Chelsea's star in league so far, and United head to Stamford Bridge with opponents at top of table

Jose Mourinho, right, and Eden Hazard share an excellent relationship, which goes back to the time when Mourinho was Chelsea manager. Reuters

Jose Mourinho believes Eden Hazard's form bodes well for Chelsea's Premier League title challenge.

The Belgian has once again been Chelsea's 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.

"The results speak by themselves," Mourinho said. "Obviously they are not playing [Uefa] Champions League, and that puts [their focus] just on the Premier League.

"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.

"Happened with me, happened with Antonio [Conte]. The season is still in the beginning of course but, if he is the best player of the Premier League until now, which I think he is, Chelsea is top of the league because he's the kind of player who can make a huge difference."

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 so it's a non-problem because Chelsea are led by intelligent and experienced people in football and I think they would never sell Eden to Manchester United," the United manager said.

"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 they have positive feelings from their last match two weeks ago when they recovered from two goals down to beat Newcastle 3-2.

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."

______________

Read more:

Guardiola says Hart could make him regret decision to let him leave Man City

Chelsea's Maurizio Sarri wary of Jose Mourinho's Manchester United

Premier League predictions: Chelsea increase pressure on Man United

Andy Mitten: Why does Jose Mourinho play Juan Mata out of position?

Richard Jolly: Jorginho represents shift in philosophy at Chelsea