WITH MIKE ADEYEMI
Manchester City will on Sunday play host to Chelsea FC in another thrilling encounter after beating Arsenal 3-1at Ethiad last week.
The Blues however responded from the humiliating 4-0 loss at Bournemouth – their worst league defeat in over 22 years – by beating Huddersfield 5-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Hazard scored twice to take his season’s tally to 15, while Gonzalo Higuain netted a brace for his first goals for Chelsea, who travel to the Etihad Stadium next Sunday.
Chelsea have lost five of their last 13 Premier League games, but one of the wins in that period was the December 8 defeat of City, which came as a surprise to Pep Guardiola’s men, who had been unbeaten in their 21 previous games.
“It’s going to be a different game than two or three months ago,” Hazard told Chelsea TV.
“I think they will have the ball. City have these kind of players to play together.
“We will defend well and then we will score one goal or two.”
The City match is the first of a difficult run, which includes the February 24 Carabao Cup final against the same opponents.
Chelsea also face Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round on February 18, either side of Europa League last-32 legs with Malmo of Sweden, and then clash with Tottenham in the Premier League after the Wembley final.
“We need to be focused,” Hazard said.
“This month is going to be hard, but we are Chelsea. We can beat everyone if we want.”
On-loan Juventus striker Higuain and Hazard teamed up for the first time at Bournemouth, but there was far greater optimism following the win over Huddersfield.
Higuain scored 36 goals in 35 Serie A games when he played under Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri at Napoli in 2015-16.
Hazard added: “He’s a great striker. He’s a bit less of a target man than (Olivier) Giroud, but he can hold the ball, he can play one touches. He’s intelligent.
“In the box he’s unbelievable. He will score more goals.”
Meanwhile, Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva says the club has complete belief in Pep Guardiola’s varying tactical set ups after the club’s 3-1 victory over Arsenal.
Guardiola took a chance in Sunday’s clash against the Gunners, lining up with a new-look defence that only started three natural defenders and appeared to have Fernandinho drop into the back line at times.
The manager claimed after the match that it was a set up that was specifically used for the Arsenal contest and would not address its use going forward.
Bernardo, talking with reporters after the victory, echoed those sentiments, saying Guardiola alters their set up based on opposition, but that the players have the utmost faith their manager will get it right.
During the season we have tried many different things,” Bernardo told reporters. “We adapt to the way the other teams play.
“We try to attack the best way we think we can do, when they play four in the back, five in the back, when they play with four midfielders, three midfielders, one attacker, two attackers.
“So [against Arsenal] it was a good performance. We are happy with the tactics because it worked. We just follow what Pep tells us because we believe in him.
“Once again it worked, so we are very happy with that.”
Man City steamrolled to the Premier League title last season with 100 points, 19 above second-placed Manchester United.
This season has not been as smooth, with City currently second in the table to Liverpool, and already have lost four games, after dropping just two last term.
The inconsistency is something Bernardo says he and his team-mates know they need to stamp out, but believes the staff and dressing room have created an environment where they can do just that.
“We know we have to improve,” Bernardo added. “Even though we have some fantastic performances, sometimes we don’t play as well as we want to.
“We have to improve that, to see which mistakes we are making, with the help of the staff, and try to improve all the team.
“The atmosphere in the dressing room is fantastic. Everybody is trying to help each other to improve, and to try and help the mate next to you.
“We just want to be the better players game by game, be a better team, to try and win some titles at the end of the season.”
