Scout Notes – Champions League – Wednesday

The big-name strikers keep on scoring, but it is two midfielders who impress the most in wins for both Man United and Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho puts the frighteners on Phil Jones owners ahead of a visit from Crystal Palace.

Here are the notes from an impressive night for the English clubs in Champions League action.

No danger Hazard’s not ready

Chelsea coach Antonio Conte has been sparing in his use of Eden Hazard as the midfielder recovers from injury.

But he now looks on course to make his first league start of the season in Saturday evening’s huge clash with Man City.

The Belgian was back to his best in Chelsea’s superb 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid, capping a fine individual performance with the assist for Alvaro Morata’s second-half equaliser.

The 10.5-priced playmaker is in just 2.9% of Fantasy Premier League teams and that figure might not increase massively with the in-form City up next.

But he’s a differential in the making for those brave enough to risk him and the Blues’ schedule then improves dramatically after this weekend.

Once the October international break is done, Chelsea begin a very attractive 11-match run that involves only two fixtures – United at home, Liverpool away – to truly test the champions.

Hazard looks poised to take full advantage.

Stationed up front alongside Morata as Conte opted for a 3-5-2 formation, his link-up play with the Spaniard was an eye-catching aspect of a great night for the Blues.

Morata had six shots, Hazard four – including one deflected effort that hit the post – and the pair look to be on the cusp of a very fruitful relationship. Hazard created seven scoring chances – more than any player in the Champions League this week.

Former Real Madrid man Morata thrived in a hostile atmosphere. He looked sharp and hungry throughout to make it seven goals in as many matches in all competitions this campaign.

More than 229,000 managers have brought him in this Gameweek, making him the most popular purchase to date, and even Man City’s defence – they’ve kept three straight clean sheets in the league – will struggle to contain him.

However, there could be potential concerns in the Chelsea camp based on this report this morning suggesting that the striker was seen limping in front of press after last night’s tie. The piece admits that no issue was reported during the player’s own interviews, so we can only await news from Antonio Conte on Friday.

Chelsea won Wednesday’s encounter with its last kick when substitute Michy Batshuayi converted Marcos Alonso’s low cross – a much-needed attacking return from the 19.3%-owned wing-back – and the Blues’ control of a match away from home against one of Europe’s very best sides sent a powerful message to both their domestic and continental rivals.

David Luiz, suspended domestically, returned to the back three but gave away the penalty from which Atletico took the lead. Gary Cahill, who didn’t start last weekend’s 4-0 win at Stoke City, also came back into the defence and looked rather more assured.

It will be a major surprise if he does not feature against City, while Hazard, Morata and Cesc Fabregas were all taken off by Conte, presumably with one eye on the weekend.

Pedro (1.5%), who was among the goals at Stoke, was benched and could be another being lined up to start against the Manchester table-toppers.

United keep on winning

Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Man United brushed aside CSKA Moscow 4-1 in the Russian capital.

The Belgian striker now has ten goals in nine appearances in all competitions this season and the trend to sell the 56.2%-owned asset seems to be finally on the turn.

Some 67,000+ managers have bought him this week with a plum home fixture against Crystal Palace just too good to resist.

On this evidence, his 11.7 asking price looks like money well spent, although four forwards – Morata, Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy have been purchased by more this week.

But it was Anthony Martial who impressed the most in Moscow.

The Frenchman has started just once in the league this season and yet he’s still managed 26 points from three goals and an assist.

He was industrious from the get-go last night and scored from the penalty spot, after Henrikh Mkhitaryan had been fouled, as well as providing the assists for all three of United’s goals.

He has now been involved in six goals in his last three matches in all competitions (three goals, three assists).

Mkhitaryan was the other scorer on the night, and his substitution after 60 minutes will have been welcomed by his 33.3% ownership who will be hoping the Armenian continues his own fine from when struggling Palace visit Old Trafford on Saturday.

Martial, however, went off with a knock later on, which could allow Marcus Rashford to return to the teamsheet against the Eagles on Saturday.

Jose Uncertain on Jones

The assumption heading into last night was that the 10.5%-owned Phil Jones, along with the likes of Antonio Valencia, missed out as he was rested.

But, post-match, Mourinho gave a less than heartening update on Jones’ prospects for Saturday.

“I think (Michael) Carrick has no chance, Jones I have many doubts and (Marouane) Fellaini I have a hope, just a hope.”

As the most transferred in (111,000+) defender in the Gameweek, Jones’ absence would be a bitter blow. United face an attack without a recognised striker after Christian Benteke was sidelined for weeks and are heavily backed to claim a sixth clean sheet in seven.

The cynics among us could suggest that, with an international break just around the corner, Mourinho is now looking to buy Jones some more time off.

It’s perhaps no coincidence that, prior to the last international break, we witnessed the same behaviour. The United manager’s attempts to talk up Jones’ ankle problems in late August were to no avail as the defender still went on to play 180 minutes across England’s pair of matches. There’s a feeling that he’s determined to prevent the same situation occurring again.

Should Jones not recover in time for the Palace fixture, it looks like a straight shoot-out between Victor Lindelof and Chris Smalling to partner Eric Bailly at the heart of the United defence. That’s unless Mourinho opts to go with the three-man backline utilised in Moscow last night, which perhaps seems unlikely given Palace’s lack of conviction at either end of the pitch.