Sunday 27 December 2015 14:43, UK
Guus Hiddink admits losing Diego Costa is a blow to Chelsea's chances of picking up a positive result at Manchester United on Monday.
The Spain international was in impressive form on Boxing Day, marking the first game of Hiddink's second spell in charge with a well-taken brace as the Blues drew 2-2 against Watford.
However, the combative forward also picked up his fifth yellow card of the Premier League campaign, meaning he will be suspended for Monday's match, much to new boss Hiddink's frustration.
"It's a setback because he is now increasing his performance," Hiddink said. "I can complain a lot but that's not my nature. We have to go on and find a solution as soon as possible, but it's a setback.
"We go there and it will be difficult, but we go with hope. I hope this team will show in every game the ambition they showed (on Saturday) in going for a win anywhere."
Manchester United are in a run of poor form at the moment and suffered a fourth straight defeat in all competitions when they were beaten 2-0 at Stoke on Boxing Day.
United were first, second, and they're now in a difficult period, but they have to react for themselves.
However, Hiddink thinks the competitive nature of the English top flight makes such runs inevitable, and insists Chelsea's season is still salvageable.
"This league is a very intense league," Hiddink added. "The teams who are, even in December, competing for being in the first four, like Leicester, Crystal Palace, and Watford, it's not just by surprise, because they're well-organised, they have skilful players - and then you can be beaten also by them.
"United were first, second, and they're now in a difficult period, but they have to react for themselves."
One United player Hiddink knows well is Dutch youngster Memphis Depay, who has struggled a little of late and was taken off at half-time during United's loss at Stoke.
And Hiddink thinks Depay is struggling with the pressure of being one of the Netherland's most-hyped prospects, while also adapting to football in a different country.
"He's a very young guy," Hiddink said. "When he was in Holland he was one of the star players, at a very young age.
"There is a lack of star players in Holland who are playing already many years in their league so, at a young age, he was bombarded as one of the big talents.
"He has this talent but he's also now having a confrontation with the demands of the Premier League, which are much higher in intensity of the game during 90 minutes.
"That's a period all players, not just him, have to overcome, and I think they need time for that. He has this talent, but he's also giving interviews saying 'hey, I have to get used to another way of playing, the intensity of the games every three days'.
"Those guys, they need the cover of experienced players."
