Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur in a crucial match in the race for a top-four spot.
The champions, five points adrift of their fourth-placed London rivals, will be relying on Eden Hazard to break down the Spurs defence.
Hazard has consistently been one of the Premier League's most creative threats throughout his career.
Since his return this season, no player has created more chances from open play, and only Mesut Ozil, of Arsenal, has done so at a faster rate.
Most chances created from open play since 30 Sept
| Player | Chances created | Chances created per 90 mins |
|---|---|---|
| Mesut Ozil | 57 | 3.0 |
| Eden Hazard | 57 | 2.8 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | 57 | 2.5 |
| Alexis Sanchez | 51 | 2.5 |
Hazard's creativity stems from his exceptional ability in one-on-one situations.
He's beaten a defender on 128 occasions this season. That's at least 41 times, or 47 per cent, more than any other player this season.
His success rate is also significantly higher than every prominent dribbler. While others beat an opponent with one-in-two attempts, Hazard does so with over 75 per cent of his.
Best PL dribblers per 90 mins*
| Player | Total dribbles | Dribbles per 90 mins | Dribble success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eden Hazard | 128 | 6.2 | 76% |
| Wilfried Zaha | 87 | 4.1 | 49% |
| Willian | 59 | 3.6 | 62% |
| Leroy Sane | 68 | 3.4 | 62% |
*Minimum 1,400 minutes played in 2017/18
Despite Chelsea's overall form wavering in 2018, Hazard's individual production has actually risen. He has created more chances than any other Premier League player this calendar year, and at a far higher rate, while he is also dribbling past more players and scoring more.
No Premier League side have relied on creativity from one source as much as Chelsea have from Hazard this year.
Largest share of team's chances created in 2018
| Player | Club | % of team's chances |
|---|---|---|
| Eden Hazard | CHE | 26.2% |
| Pascal Gross | BHA | 25.6% |
| Kevin De Bruyne | MCI | 24.1% |
| Mesut Ozil | ARS | 22.9% |
