HAZARD: BARKLEY CAN BE WORLD CLASS

Eden Hazard believes that his team-mate Ross Barkley can be "one of the best" in the world following the midfielder's impressive performance in Chelsea's 3-0 win over Southampton on Sunday.

Barkley scored his first goal for Chelsea in Sunday's win, as well as setting up Hazard's opener for the Blues.

The former Everton midfielder never really got too much of a look-in under former manager Antonio Conte but has come into the side recently under Maurizio Sarri.

Barkley's turn in form has earned him an England recall, after not making this summer's World Cup squad.

Hazard heaped the praise on the Liverpool-born midfielder: "He played a fantastic game and it is not just because he scored or that he made an assist. You can see on the pitch that he is very strong.

"He had some bad moments in the last year or two years with injury but I think he can reach a fantastic level because he is a fantastic player.

"I remember watching him at Everton. He is still young so I think he is a good player for the future with Chelsea.

"If you give Ross the freedom to play and the confidence on the pitch, he can be one of the best in the world in midfield. He is strong, he is powerful, he can dribble, he is clever, he can shoot, he can score and he can make assists.

"If he has players around him to help him to play, he can be one of the best."

Barkley may feature for England as they take on Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on Friday.