N'Golo Kante is Chelsea's "missing link" and the main reason why Eden Hazard has rediscovered his Player of the Year form this season, according to former Blues manager Ruud Gullit.
Chelsea have hit the ground running under new head coach Antonio Conte, taking 10 points from their first four Premier League matches with Kante -- a £30 million summer signing from Leicester City -- shielding a defence that has given up just seven shots on Thibaut Courtois' goal.
At the other end of the pitch, Conte also appears to have revived Diego Costa and Hazard, who has scored two goals in four Premier League appearances this season after managing just four in the whole of the last campaign.
"For me, Kante was one of the best signings of the summer," Gullit told the Evening Standard ahead of Chelsea's Premier League clash with Liverpool on Friday. "He is the missing link for Chelsea.
"Kante is the reason why Hazard's now playing well because he doesn't have to think all of the time about his defensive tasks. There is not as much for him to do compared to when a player like Cesc Fabregas is behind him instead.
"Fabregas is not famous for his defensive tasks -- most of the time he comes back into the dressing room with a clean shirt. But Antonio Conte introduced a force into midfield in Kante and Hazard can play better. Everybody would play better with Kante in the side.
"Before Kante came, I'm sure managers told their full-backs to keep running forward and make Hazard track back. Eden would be making 70-yard runs back and forth and that makes you tired.
"But with Kante providing much more cover, Hazard now tends to make just 30-yard runs to defend, leaving him much more energy to do what he does best and full-backs have to stay back instead.
"Hazard is much happier now and I love to see it. What makes him so special? He makes things look so easy but he needs somebody close to him like Kante that can guide him."
Both Kante and Hazard are expected to start when Chelsea welcome Liverpool to Stamford Bridge on Friday night, while John Terry's absence through injury means David Luiz will make his first Blues appearance since finalising a return from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day.