Didier and Nicholas

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has heaped praise on Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard, who has made a rollicking start to the new Premier League season. The Belgium international found himself on the bench for the opening two games of the campaign but he has since featured in the starting lineup for the two matches which preceded the international break.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson was appreciative of the efforts of Hazard since the start of the season and indicated that he has not suffered from any tiredness unlike Harry Kane. He added that the Tottenham Hotspur striker may be going through a lean patch of form which many may have misinterpreted with the stress involved owing to regular first-team football.

He said: “There isn’t a debate about Hazard being tired is there? He’s been phenomenal for Chelsea since the World Cup. Sometimes it’s just a lack of form and people blame it on tiredness. That happens in football – you can’t play well every week. Kane is just lacking in a bit of form – if you look at his career then he’s either hot or cold, nothing in between.”

Hazard and Kane were involved for Belgium and England respectively at the World Cup and both exited the tournament following the third-place playoff game. As such, there should not be much difference in terms of the exertions but Hazard has certainly started the campaign on a brighter note than Kane.

Kane has contributed two goals and one assist for Spurs from the opening four Premier League matches, but Hazard has performed much better with two goals and two assists to his name. Kane has since drawn blank in both internationals for England whereas Hazard has looked effective once more from a wider position with two goals and an assist for Belgium.