Special Two: Graceful Hazard and powerful Matic

Chelsea are producing their own adaptation of fairytale classic Beauty and the Beast.
Eden Hazard plays the Beauty: gracefully balanced and two-footed, with the vision to initiate attacking moves before the opposition even realise danger is at hand.
Nemanja Matic embodies the Beast: the driven and energetic central midfield powerhouse who provides the platform for ‘Hazard the Beauty’ to flourish.

Special: Eden Hazard (left) and Nemanja Matic are becoming Beauty and the Beast for a charging Chelsea team

In charge: Jose Mourinho saw his Chelsea team leapfrog Manchester City and Arsenal into top spot

Belgium international Hazard received all the plaudits as his scintillating hat-trick — his first for Chelsea — fired his team to the Barclays Premier League summit.
But in Matic, the Stamford Bridge look to have found their own version of Yaya Toure.
At 6ft 4in, the Serbian has the physical attributes to cope with the brutal demands of life in Chelsea’s midfield.
His energy levels, it seems, are endless. He covered more ground than any player on Saturday, running a 7.6 miles.

Scintillating: Hazard scored a hat-trick as Chelsea sunk Newcastle 3-0

Dominating: Matic has all the skills needed to be a perfect central midfielder

He’s quick across the ground, too; his huge stride eating up the ground. He is strong in the tackle but is just as comfortable with the ball at his feet.
Eyebrows were raised when Mourinho sanctioned a £21million move to bring Matic back to Chelsea — just three years after the club used him as a makeweight to sign David Luiz from Benfica.
Not any more, though. Chelsea looked to have signed the complete modern midfielder.
Add Hazard to the equation and Chelsea look to have the makings of a flourishing partnership that will lead the next Mourinho era.
The diminutive Belgian was unplayable at the weekend, much to Alan Pardew’s detriment.

Skilled: Not only is Matic an excellent tackler and powerful runner, he is also comfortable with the ball at his feet

‘I think when a player of his quality has the confidence he has at the minute, because all the great players have little bouts of super-confidence, it’s very difficult,’ said Pardew.
Barring Luis Suarez, there isn’t a more accomplished attacking player in the Premier League than Hazard right now.
But Mourinho thinks his performances transcend England, saying: ‘I think in this moment he’s the best young player in the world.

Impressed: Alan Pardew could not find a way to stop Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge

‘I don’t want to compare him with the monsters, because the monsters have 10 years of career, winning trophies, scoring goals. I think it’s not fair for the monsters and it’s not fair for the kid to make that comparison.
‘But as a young player I don’t see a better young player. Neymar is also a fantastic player but this season his season is very up and down — injured, plays, doesn’t play, injured again.
‘This season Neymar is not Neymar, but potentially, of course, is also a fantastic player.

The best? Mourinho has claimed Eden Hazard is the best young player in the world

‘He’s a fantastic player and we need fantastic players if we want to be strong. I think a team is made of 11 guys, but obviously he is special.’
Hazard’s three goals took his Chelsea tally to 27 goals — 182 behind Frank Lampard’s club record.
But in the 23-year-old, the Blues look to have the natural successor to Lampard’s throne as the Stamford Bridge king of goals from midfield.

Successor: Mourinho hopes Hazard can take over Frank Lampard's fantastic penchant for goals

‘Frank’s record is amazing and it’s over years and years and years,’ said Mourinho. ‘It’s a very difficult record. But Frank, when he allowed Eden to take the penalty against Newcastle, he opened the door for that to happen.
‘If the kid also has a chance to score on penalties, he can do it.’