• Premier League

Costa must keep his cool, says Hazard

Eden Hazard says Chelsea striker Diego Costa needs to keep calm and avoid getting himself sent off if he is provoked by opposition players.

Costa took his tally for the season to eight goals in six Premier League games following his £32 million move from Atletico Madrid. However, he has already picked up three yellow cards with two of those earned when he reacted to provocation at Everton and Manchester City, where Pablo Zabaleta picked up a second yellow card for kicking him.

Zabaleta said Costa should have been sent off as well earlier this month at the Etihad Stadium, when he appeared to put his hands around the City defender's throat.

Diego Costa clashed with Pablo Zabaleta earlier this month © Getty Images

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Hazard said in the Evening Standard: "We all know how he will react, he needs to be careful that he doesn't get too many yellow cards. This is part of the game [opponents targeting him], everyone knows that. He needs to focus.

"He is a very good striker, one of the top three in the world right now. When he is confident, he scores and right now he is confident and in form."

Hazard has also ruled out leaving Chelsea for Paris Saint-Germain after dismissing a return to the French league.

The 23-year-old attracted interest from PSG in the summer having starred for Jose Mourinho's side last season as he collected the PFA Young Footballer of the Year award and scored 17 goals.

However, having started his career in Lille before his £32m move to the Premier League in 2012, Hazard says he doesn't plan on heading back any time soon with Chelsea the best place to fulfil his ambitions.

"Every year I'm a PSG target and every year nothing happens. I'm happy at Chelsea," Hazard told Canal+.

"Ligue 1 is a great league in Europe but not the best. It's a league for young people. I'm fine with Chelsea. PSG are not in my head. Back to Ligue 1? Maybe one day. But only for Lille."

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