Hazard fit for Palace tie

Eden Hazard is expected to be available for Chelsea's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace.

Hazard sat out the 1-0 win over Sunderland in midweek due to an injury but he has trained ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park and is in line to feature against Alan Pardew's men.

"Yeah, I think he's fit. Then I have to see if I decide to put him in the starting eleven," manager Antonio Conte told his pre-match press conference.

"But he's fit. Today he trained with us. For sure, not only for him but also the other players, I have this night, also, to decide.

"It's not easy to play three games in six days. We played against Sunderland on Wednesday, and came back at 4am here. Only one day to prepare the game, and play a match at 12.30pm. For this reason, it's important to see every single detail and then to take the best decision for tomorrow."

Willian and Pedro deputised for Hazard for the win over Sunderland and Conte has stressed the importance of being in a position to call on alternatives when a regular starter is ruled out through injury.

“But the situation is normal because, before with Eden, we played a lot of games and played very well. Then it happens that a player can have an injury. I hope when there is this kind of situation, the substitute plays very well.

"But I need all my players in every game. It's important to have the possibility to choose, above all when we are in an emergency. Until now we've been lucky because we haven't had a lot of injuries.”

While Hazard is available, captain John Terry remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from a muscle injury.

"John, after his first injury, recovered very well. He played the last 15 minutes against Everton. And then he had another bad injury. Now he's trying to recover from that injury," Conte said.

"John is always very close to the team and stays with us, comes with us when we go to play at home or away. He's a really important player for Chelsea, for me, for his team-mates.

"I don't know the right time for him to be recovered from his injury, but he's trying to recover.”

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