Top 10 Premier League stars of 2018: Chelsea's Eden Hazard
Hazard’s individual quality continues to shine through for Chelsea
Sunday 23 December 2018 17:53, UK
Chelsea's Eden Hazard is second in our countdown of the standout Premier League players of 2018.
The Blues not only failed to retain their title but fell out of the top four last season, but Hazard remained their outstanding performer.
He helped Antonio Conte sign off with an FA Cup win in May, had a fine World Cup and has started brilliantly under new coach Maurizio Sarri.
What do the stats say?
Hazard is still the best dribbler in the Premier League and it's not close. He has completed 136 dribbles in 2018. No other player is in three figures.
The Belgian has been effective too, creating more chances than any other player in the Premier League in 2018.
There have been goals and there have been assists. Mohamed Salah, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane are the only other players in double figures for both in the calendar year.
What were his highlights?
Hazard's first-half penalty was the only goal of Chelsea's FA Cup final win over Manchester United at Wembley in May. It was the first time that he had lifted the trophy.
That sent Hazard to the World Cup with confidence and that was evident in his performance out in Russia in the summer where he picked up the silver ball as Belgium finished third.
Captaining his country, he was named man of the match in the 5-2 win over Tunisia, a game in which he scored twice, and also picked up the award in the turnaround win over Japan.
Hazard is now enjoying the added freedom under Sarri this season, scoring only his second ever Premier League hat-trick in the 4-1 win over Cardiff. He is at the peak of his powers.
What's the pundit verdict?
"The first few months of this season he was irresistible, phenomenal," Soccer Saturday pundit Paul Merson tells Sky Sports.
"With that, he set a standard, his own standard. When he's at his best, he's the best of the best. He can beat three players and score a goal, and I don't see a lot of people in the country doing that.
If I were to buy one player out of everyone, it would be him.
"He's carrying Chelsea. De Bruyne, Sterling et al aren't carrying their team but Hazard can. That first few months of the season, you could argue that he was the best player in world football.
"We've seen him have dips in the past, and he needs that consistency, but if I were to buy one player out of everyone, it would be him."
