Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes Eden Hazard has completed the transition from talented kid to consistent Premier League match-winner, while team-mate Petr Cech reckons he can be the best player in the world.

The accolades followed a man-of-the-match performance from the Belgian, who scored the opening goal to help send Chelsea into top spot.

‘If Eden keeps working then he has the ability to become one of the greatest players,’ said goalkeeper Cech, who kept another clean sheet to set a club record. ‘But you have to do that year after year.’

Hazard came in for criticism earlier in the season for what Mourinho described as a lack of concentration. But yesterday Hazard said: ‘I just try to give my best for the team. I am 23 and I think I am good [to stay] in this club.’

He certainly proved his worth against Hull, prompting Mourinho to stress that the club did not want the attacking midfielder to leave and scotching rumours of a possible transfer to PSG.

‘The club do not want to sell him,’ said the Chelsea boss. ‘He cost £32million when he came and he has trebled in value since. He’s not going anywhere.

‘I cannot put pressure on him to be man of the match every week or to open the scoring every week.

But last season you saw a talented Eden Hazard and this season you are seeing a mature player who is getting man of the match regularly and he actually deserves more than that — player of the month — because those who are winning that are not doing half of what he is doing.’

Fernando Torres has also had his detractors since a £50million transfer from Liverpool three years ago. But the Spain striker underlined the value of what a little managerial faith can do.

He celebrated his 200th Premier League appearance with a late goal which ensured three points and put Chelsea, overnight at least, at the summit of the league for the first time since August. But, if his 87th-minute effort provided a fitting finale to a professional performance from Chelsea, the architect of their triumph was undoubtedly Hazard.

He engineered move after move with bewitching passing and style which he garnished with a wonderful opening goal.

Mourinho added: ‘Now he’s not a talented kid any more — he is more than that. He is a player that feels and accepts the responsibility, feels and accepts that the team player is more than a talented player; and without losing his fantastic ability and fantastic talent he is giving us other things.

‘To be man of the match three times on the trot is something nice. Let’s see if the Barclays Premier League decide to give him a player of the month award. The kid is waiting and the trophy is not arriving.’

There was praise, too, for the indomitable Cech, who created a new Chelsea record of 209 clean sheets in all competitions. Having passed Peter Bonetti’s previous best, Mourinho forecast the Czech international would accomplish the 20 more needed to move ahead of David James, whose 170 Premier League clean sheets is a record.

Cech was troubled only once, going down to keep out Jake Livermore’s 22nd-minute 25-yarder with some difficulty. After a goalless first-half, Hazard converted Chelsea’s superiority into a goal when he collected Ashley Cole’s back-heel, ghosted past two defenders across the edge of the area and fired a low right-footer wide of Allan McGregor’s dive.

And that was that. Mourinho’s candid observation that his team were never in danger afterwards was spot on — and Hull boss Steve Bruce agreed. ‘We matched them in the first half but never really got near them in the second,’ he said

Torres made absolutely sure, surging past Alex Bruce before rifling the ball left-footed low to McGregor’s right. The Scotland goalkeeper had been a stubborn last line of resistance as Chelsea, with typical passing fluency, chipped away at what had been one of the best home defences in the Premier League… before kick-off.

McGregor produced a wonder save in the 33rd minute to deny Oscar after a great passing move involving Cole and Hazard left the Brazilian with what looked like an easy scoring opportunity.

He blasted in a right-footer which McGregor pushed over. David Luiz was also denied twice but the result was never in doubt.

—Daily Mail