Diego Costa is set to return for Chelsea's Nissan Super Sunday clash with Hull, but is he the most important player in their title hunt?
Tuesday 24 January 2017 16:53, UK
Diego Costa is set to return to the Chelsea squad for their Nissan Super Sunday clash with Hull, but is he the most important player in their title hunt?
The striker was left out of last weekend's 3-0 victory against Leicester after a reported bust-up with manager Antonio Conte, who said the Spain international was absent due to a back injury.
The Blues have maintained their seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, so just who is the most important player in their squad?
The Soccer Saturday pundits are on hand to give their views ahead of the weekend, while we've also analysed the Opta stats used to power Sky Sports Fantasy Six-a-Side.
It has to be Costa, Chelsea can't win the league without him. People will point to the fact that they've won the two games without him 3-0 but it's in the long-term that he's important.
He's going to be a lot more important as the season gets harder, with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal coming up. When it becomes a fight you need him up front as a focal point.
I would still stay Eden Hazard. I know Costa is scoring the goals but for me Hazard has got his mojo back. He's got his pace and personality back and he's back to the form his was in before last season.
He's everything Roman Abramovich wants from his side, getting you off your seats when he gets the ball. At Chelsea that's very important thing. He's just been wonderful.
Goals win games so Chelsea's most important players is Costa. I think it would make it a lot trickier to win the title if he left because it's very difficult to bring in a top-class centre-forward in this window.
Hazard is also important but they've got more cover in that area with Pedro and Willian so it would be easier to cope.
I would say it is Thibaut Courtois and the reason I say so is they've had a couple games where they've been questioned and he's come up with the answers.
Costa, Hazard and Fabregas are more valuable in attacking senses but when it comes to the big moments in the big games it will be Courtois who will decides whether they can win the title.
They've got a few really big games coming up and for me, if he carries on keeping clean sheets, Chelsea will simply win the title.
Just a point sits between Diego Costa and Eden Hazard in Sky Sports Fantasy Football rankings, but the more in-depth stats used to power Fantasy Six-a-Side tell a different story.
The Blues' ability to keep 12 clean sheets, four more than any other side, was undoubtedly key to their 13-match winning run, with 10 wins to nil in that sequence.
As Charlie points out, Courtois was the man between the sticks, but the Belgian has made just 37 saves this season, the least of any goalkeeper to have made 16 or more starts, so those in front are clearly doing an effective job.
Cesar Azpilicueta's role is considered the most important, with 36 tackles made, second only to N'Golo Kante with 38, while no other player has completed more passes, while the Spaniard performs well in the majority of categories other than goalscoring.
