Guus Hiddink orders Chelsea players to do the 'dirty work' to rescue their season

GUUS HIDDINK has ordered Chelsea's players to get stuck in and do the "dirty work" to rescue their season.

 

Guus Hiddink has helped lift Chelsea six points above the relegation zone since being appointed

 

Chelsea cruised to their third game unbeaten under the veteran Dutchman as they crushed Crystal Palace at a rain-sodden Selhurst Park with goals from Oscar, Willian and Diego Costa.

It was only their second away league win of the campaign and lifted them to six points above the relegation zone after vastly improved performances from players like John Obi Mikel and Cesc Fabregas.

Hiddink said: "This league is very demanding. If you think you can win it just on your quality this league will kill you.

 

"These players know how to play. We don't need to add a lot to their quality. But we have started working. The players have started to invest in what I call the 'dirty work', and not just the beautiful game.

"They have started working, players like Willian and Oscar. We talked about it. If they have this quality, then they must produce and then we enjoy how they can play."

Mikel seemed to be on his way out of the club under predecessor Jose Mourinho, but Hiddink said: "He played very well. He is the ideal player to bring balance to the team.

 

Hiddink beleives John Obi Mikel brings 'balance to the team'

 

"Previously, Chelsea conceded a lot of goals. I thought John Obi could be one of the key figures in getting back the balance. He can recover, he knows how to read the game very well. He is very, very elegant.

"That is what I like to see. Not just a quality player, but one who can defend so smoothly. He very rarely gives the ball away."

Palace boss Alan Pardew, on his first anniversary as manager at Selhurst Park, moaned: "We needed the first goal after not scoring for a couple of games and having so many injuries, and we didn't get that.

"When they got their goal you could see their spirit lift and ours diminish and that was the story of the game. They pushed on and we didn't."