Eden Hazard is the Premier League’s best player – Ander Herrera

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Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has branded Chelsea winger Eden Hazard as the best player in the Premier League ahead of the two sides’ FA Cup final clash. 

Hazard, 27, has endured a difficult campaign as Antonio Conte’s men failed to retain their league title, while also falling short of a Champions League qualification place as well.

However, Herrera still believes that no player holds a candle to the Belgian ace, despite the sheer brilliance of Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne this season.

Both players were frontrunners for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year accolade, which Salah ultimately claimed for his spectacular tally of 32 Premier League goals, though De Bruyne did orchestrate City’s emphatic domestic double, with his incredible 16 assists.

And while Hazard still managed to net 16 goals in all competitions this season, his Chelsea side put up a feeble effort in trying to retain their Premier League title.

But Herrera has nonetheless highlighted the Belgian as the ultimate threat when his United side face the Blues in the FA Cup final this weekend.

Predict the FACup Final

“For me, Hazard is the best player in the league,” he told The Big Interview with Graham Hunter.

“In my opinion he’s the best player in the league, I’ve said that since my first day here.”

The Spaniard was also in awe of his compatriot and United teammate David De Gea, labelling the player as the best goalkeeper in the league.

He continued: “For me, David is the best [goalkeeper] by far. I think he has something that comes from god. God chose him in the goal and god chose [Lionel] Messi on the pitch.

“You cannot train what he did against Liverpool. You cannot train what he did against Kun Aguero when he was two metres in front of him and he put the hand out, you cannot train it.

“You can train when he receives the ball from the left defender and he passes the ball to Antonio Valencia pefect.

“You can see when he receives the ball he knows always what to do. He has some special abilities that I think he hasn’t trained them, because you cannot train them, you just have them.”

“Is Hazard the best player in the league?”

You could certainly have made a case for Hazard in the seasons gone by, but given the exploits of both De Bruyne and Salah this campaign, it could be difficult to place the Belgian magician above them.

Having said that, the 27-year-old has attempted more dribbles than any other Premier League player this season with 200, while he also successfully completed 165; only Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha came close to rivalling that with 119 successful dribbles.

Hazard also placed fourth in making the most key passes in the league with 84, which was 22 less than De Bruyne (106), but 22 more than Salah (62).

The Belgian was also the Blues’ top goalscorer in the league with 12 goals, which is not a bad feat given the west London club’s below-par season.

Chelsea take on Man United at Wembley in the FA Cup final on 19 May.