Guus
Hiddink admits losing Diego Costa is a blow to Chelsea's chances of picking
up a positive result at Manchester United on Monday.
The Spain international was in impressive form on Boxing Day, marking the
first game of Hiddink's second spell in charge with a well-taken brace as
the Blues drew 2-2 against Watford.
However, the combative forward also picked up his fifth yellow card of the
Premier League campaign, meaning he will be suspended for Monday's match,
much to new boss Hiddink's frustration.
"It's a setback because he is now increasing his performance," Hiddink said.
"I can complain a lot but that's not my nature. We have to go on and find a
solution as soon as possible, but it's a setback.
"We go there and it will be difficult, but we go with hope. I hope this team
will show in every game the ambition they showed (on Saturday) in going for
a win anywhere."
Manchester United are in a run of poor form at the moment and suffered a
fourth straight defeat in all competitions when they were beaten 2-0 at
Stoke on Boxing Day.
However, Hiddink thinks the competitive nature of the English top flight
makes such runs inevitable, and insists Chelsea's season is still
salvageable.
"This league is a very intense league," Hiddink added. "The teams who are,
even in December, competing for being in the first four, like Leicester,
Crystal Palace, and Watford, it's not just by surprise, because they're
well-organised, they have skilful players - and then you can be beaten also
by them.
"United were first, second, and they're now in a difficult period, but they
have to react for themselves."
One United player Hiddink knows well is Dutch youngster Memphis Depay, who
has struggled a little of late and was taken off at half-time during
United's loss at Stoke.
And Hiddink thinks Depay is struggling with the pressure of being one of the
Netherland's most-hyped prospects, while also adapting to football in a
different country.
"He's a very young guy," Hiddink said. "When he was in Holland he was one of
the star players, at a very young age.
"There is a lack of star players in Holland who are playing already many
years in their league so, at a young age, he was bombarded as one of the big
talents.
"He has this talent but he's also now having a confrontation with the
demands of the Premier League, which are much higher in intensity of the
game during 90 minutes.
"That's a period all players, not just him, have to overcome, and I think
they need time for that. He has this talent, but he's also giving interviews
saying 'hey, I have to get used to another way of playing, the intensity of
the games every three days'.
"Those guys, they need the cover of experienced players."
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