Chelsea manager, Guus Hiddink, admits Eden Hazard’s form and injury struggles this season have been “alarming”.
Hazard, 25, was named PFA Player of the Year last term but has only scored twice in 38 first-team appearances for the Blues in 2015/16, both goals coming in the FA Cup.
The Belgian has been criticised for his form and frequent injury problems – featuring sparsely as the Blues failed to stake claim for the Barclays Premier League title they won last season.
And Hiddink, 69, who will be replaced by Italian Antonio Conte at the end of the season, says he is having sleepless nights over the winger’s poor form.
“It’s a long period of absence for him,” the Dutchman said on Friday. “It was a bit alarming but now he is coming back. He practised in three sessions of us.
“But I told him now he must start performing. It’s difficult when one has been player of the year and then has this fall. Some of it is due to injuries, and not in top form, it must be alarming for a player.
“It was breaking my head too; what can I do to help him get back on track? He fell too much into injuries and difficulties to come back and get out of there.”
Meanwhile, Spanish striker, Diego Costa has completed his three-match suspension and will be available for the visit of Manchester City on Saturday.
Hiddink confirmed there has been no let-up in the striker’s training despite him not playing since the 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Everton at Goodison Park, in which he was sent off after 84 minutes on March 12.
“Diego Costa was working very hard,” he said. “Normally when a player has been out that long they like to take a little break but he didn’t. Also, individually, when we were on the road, he was here at Cobham working with the staff. He was eager to play.”
