Chelsea back to best in Crystal Palace win – Terry

– Reuters pic, January 4, 2016.Chelsea still have a chance of finishing in the Premier League top four and securing Champions League football at the end of the season, interim manager Guus Hiddink has said.

Guus Hiddink surprisingly picked Mikel ahead of Nemanja Matic in Chelsea’s starting 11 and the 28-year-old was in imperious form for the Blues.

“It was pivitol but we still had a lot of time to get ourselves out of that and the response was OK, but wasn’t sustained for long about and everyone n the dressing room knows that”.

“I thought John was one of the key figures in getting back the balance”. We have not dwelled on it. If we can put together a run of games, who knows?

“And then, he doesn’t lose many balls”.

“Success is a big word if you play until now not very well except the last three or four games”.

The Eagles were forced to make do without several first-team players at Selhurst Park, with Yannick Bolasie and Connor Wickham out injured, and the influential Yohan Cabaye suspended.

“He knows how to read the game very well, he knows the strength of the opponent, and how to cope with that”.

“I just think when you concede a goal like that in the first half it’s not ideal and it probably helps them get their tails up after that”, the Australia global said. He has a very good eye, a very good nose, and a very good sense of where to recover.

But the upbeat Hiddink has quickly won over his players, his presence helping revive their appetite for the game and convince them to raise their work rate.

“He is one player who can defend smoothly and it is attractive to see. I don’t expect the decisive final pass from him – he can, but he can also let the other players (play)”.

Player of the season Willian has so far netted eight goals, but fellow Brazilian Oscar, a revitalized player in the last few weeks, has scored two goals in four games.

“When they got the goal you could see their spirit lift and ours diminish”, said Pardew.