Hazard admits playing ‘like a ghost’ during Chelsea title defence

Eden Hazard has admitted playing “like a ghost” during Chelsea’s poor defence of their Premier League title last season.

The Belgian won the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year and was named the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year in 2014/15 as his performances inspired Chelsea to the title under Jose Mourinho.

But Mourinho was sacked before Christmas last season after nine defeats in 16 league games, and although results stabilised under Guus Hiddink, it took Hazard until April to score his first top-flight goal.

He already has nine in 19 games under Antonio Conte, whose Chelsea side are five points clear at the top with more than half the season gone.

“I was the best player two years ago but last season I was like a ghost,” Hazard, 26, told Fox Sports. “I want to be the best again and win titles.”

Hazard’s haul of medals includes one each for the League Cup and Europa League, but the FA Cup has proved elusive during his four-and-a-half years in England.

Chelsea are safely into the fourth round this year after beating Peterborough, and Hazard said: “The league is important but the FA Cup even more as I’ve never won it.”