EPL 2016-17: 5 reasons Chelsea have started this season better than the last

#2 Eden Hazard’s return to form

The Belgian is back to the kind of form that saw him win the PFA Player of the Year for 2014-15

Eden Hazard is a game changer. Say what you will, there is a huge difference to a team’s performance when a player of his caliber is playing at his best compared to when he experiences a loss of form. On the back of his PFA Player of the Year award for 2014-15, Hazard was expected to ascend to the next level and possibly challenge Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi for the tag of Best Player in the World.

Things didn’t quite go according to plan, though, as the Belgian struggled with form and fitness. With Mourinho opting to bench the once undroppable winger, Hazard’s season was an unmitigated disaster, though he showed some glimpses of his talent after the arrival of Gus Hiddink.

Following a decent outing at Euro 2016, Eden Hazard is back with a bang. He has been in scintillating form as the focal point of Chelsea’s attack under Conte and has proceeded to rack up 2 goals and an assist in 3 games – his best ever start to a Premier League campaign. It would take a brave man to bet that this won’t be his best ever season.