Jose Mourinho refuses to confirm if Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard will return to the starting line-up against West Ham

Home Top

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: England would be mad to try and copy the All Blacks... and why I was staggered by RFU review panel
Manchester City are favourites for the derby, insists Van Gaal ahead of Old Trafford showdown
Cook and Root repair early damage as England end first innings on 182-3 in second Test against Pakistan
JAMIE CARRAGHER: Perky Payet is the perfect fit for the West Ham Way
Call for Clive: Finally... RFU may involve Woodward in review of England's disastrous World Cup
MARTIN KEOWN: Can Smalling stop threat of whirlwind Sterling?
Guardiola keen to manage Premier League team in the capital if he fails to agree new deal at Bayern Munich
$George Best of Manchester United was best man for the wedding of Manchester City footballer Mike Summerbee to 20 year old Tina Schofield at St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Mottram. \nSeptember 1968 \nP005144$ Best of mates: One shone for City, the other was United's superstar. Summerbee recalls how he and George loved the good life
It's style versus steel: City are promising goals but can they break down dogged United?
Rabbatts' FA probe for supporting former Chelsea doctor Carneiro branded as 'bizarre' by Lord Ouseley
Smalling is now talking Van Gaal's language after staggering turnaround to emerge as future captain
Klopp waits as Sturridge faces another scan on troublesome knee
Mignolet returns to form and Rashid shows great character... but Scotland were clumsy to lose to Australia
'I'm not going to give you any funny headlines': Mourinho delivers another rant as he reacts to 'intrusive' video
Qualifying under threat at US GP after second practice is cancelled due to thunderstorms from Hurricane Patricia
Mourinho refuses to confirm if Hazard will return to the Chelsea starting line-up against West Ham
One man and his dog: Hamilton on verge of history... but there will be no friends or family supporting him
British driver Palmer handed break in Formula 1 after landing a race-seat with Lotus for the 2016 season
The ultimate weekend of sport! Premier League derbies, World Cup semis, Hamilton going for F1 glory, Tests, fights... and NFL at Wembley!
Carry on booing! City boss Pellegrini backs fans in UEFA anthem row
Marcus Bent denies charges of affray and possessing a meat cleaver
The most glamorous picture in sport? Sharapova leads cast of tennis stars at launch of the WTA Finals in Singapore
Gloucester 15-17 Saracens: Farrell's late penalty lands the points at Kingsholm
Sale 27-13 Worcester: Cipriani sends timely reminder in win

Eden Hazard came on in the dying minutes of the win against Aston Villa
Belgian returned to Chelsea starting XI against Dynamo Kiev in midweek
Jose Mourinho was happy with his contribution in the Champions League
Pedro and Loic Remy to remain on the sidelines ahead of Upton Park clash
Mourinho praises West Ham boss Slaven Bilic for his role at the Hammers

Published: 09:41 EST, 23 October 2015 | Updated: 10:14 EST, 23 October 2015

View
comments

Eden Hazard will hope he has done enough to work his way into Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's starting line-up when he takes his side across London to face West Ham on Saturday.

The Blues are aiming to build on their 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge last weekend, in which Mourinho opted to start with Ruben Loftus-Cheek in an unfamiliar No 10 position, with Hazard dropped to the substitutes' bench.

In a move clearly designed to undermine the player after a run of poor form this term, Mourinho brought him on for the final seven minutes despite the game already being sewn up.

Eden Hazard returned to the starting XI in Chelsea's Champions League stalemate against Dynamo Kiev

Mourinho declined to say if the Belgian would start the game at Upton Park following his recent omission

Ramires and Nemanja Matic compete for the ball in training ahead of this weekend's encounter with West Ham

The Belgium playmaker returned to the starting XI in Chelsea's Champions League stalemate against Dynamo Kiev in midweek, and the club's leading performer last term will now be desperate to rubber-stamp his position in the side.

Speaking at his weekly pre-match press conference, Mourinho declined to say if the Belgian - who recently scored twice on international duty with his country - would start at Upton Park, but merely spoke about his contribution at Dynamo after demanding an improved work ethic.

'I don't know (if Hazard will start),' said Mourinho, who has the same squad as he had for Tuesday's game, meaning Pedro and Loic Remy remain out.

'He played the last match and played for 90 minutes and he was part of the compact team that kept that clean sheet.'

Hazard tries to impress his manager at training on Friday but it is doubtful whether he will start on Saturday

Brazilian midfielder Willian has been in good form recently for the Blues and he will hope that continues

Loic Remy is set to remain out of contention this weekend but he did train on Friday with his team-mates

Hazard scored the winner last season as the Blues edged the Hammers in east London courtesy of a 1-0 win in March.

But Mourinho refused to confirm whether he would recall the 24-year-old to a starting berth domestically, adding: 'I'm happy with his contribution against Dynamo and that's it.'

West Ham have made a fine start to sit fourth under Slaven Bilic, a manager Mourinho admires.

'As a coach, I like (him) a lot,' Mourinho continued. 'Since the Croatian national team period to Besiktas and now to West Ham, I have a very good image, idea, about him.

John Terry will hope to keep his place in the side for the club's final Premier League game at Upton Park

Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta battles during a session at the Cobham training ground on Friday morning

'As a person, I don't know him very well, but I have the feeling that we could be friends.'

Despite the troubled start to the season, Mourinho insists Chelsea do not fear losing, believing that with 87 points across 29 games to play for, nothing has been won or lost in October.

'Premier League is 38 matches, lots of points. You lose today, you try to win tomorrow,' he added.

'At this moment in the Premier League we are not afraid to lose matches. We are going to play normal.'