Eden Hazard vs. Christian Eriksen: Who Is Most Important to Their Side?

It's going to be about so much more than just Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotpsur in the Capital One Cup final this Sunday.

London pride is at stake and Chelsea want revenge for their 5-3 thumping at the hands of Spurs on New Year's Day.

Then there are the strikers: Can Harry Kane upstage Diego Costa?

Of all the subplots, the biggest will undoubtedly surround midfielders Eden Hazard and Christian Eriksen. Given their status at each club, whoever has the best game at Wembley is more than likely to finish up on the winning side.

Hazard and Eriksen are without doubt the star men in their respective teams. They're the players who get the fans off their feet and make things happen.

Chelsea's Belgian is an exquisite footballer. The most fouled player in the Premier League this season, he offers the biggest threat for Jose Mourinho's side.

Hazard does the very thing defenders fret over: He gets his head down and runs at them, using his trickery to evade challenges and win free-kicks or penalties—although not so much of the latter, Mourinho will tell you.

He puts the pressure on his opposite number and makes defenders commit themselves in difficult areas where instinct tells you it's best to stay on your feet.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

It's about making players panic, and it's what Hazard does best.

Eriksen isn't as dynamic in that sense, but we shouldn't let that fool us regarding his brilliance.

Indeed, he's the one player in the Spurs' side who could slot into what Mourinho is building at Stamford Bridge.

Eriksen lacks the defensive qualities Mourinho often looks for, but he has it in his repertoire to play through the middle in a similar way to Oscar, possessing the craft to dictate the attacking flow of any team.

Without him, Spurs lack that creative edge—something we saw at the weekend against West Ham United.

Mauricio Pochettino's side seemed to be suffering from a Europa League hangover, trailing the Hammers 2-0 after an hour.

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When Eriksen—a half-time substitute—got more involved, the tide turned for Spurs. He didn't pick up an assist or score, yet his influence in the middle was significant.

Dropping deep to take possession from the defence, the Dane put Spurs on the front foot. He got them driving at West Ham and eventually the pressure told as they clawed their way back to a 2-2 draw.

His influence is about so much more, however. Like Hazard, Eriksen gets his fair share of goals, but it's the timing of his that impresses most.

Without Eriksen's 88th-minute goal in the second leg of the Capital One Cup semi-finals, we could be discussing Chelsea facing Sheffield United this coming Sunday.

And that's been the story of his season, getting Spurs out of the holes they have dug themselves in. In four games, Eriksen has scored in the last two minutes, each time winning his team the game.

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That goal against Sheffield United actually tied the game at 2-2 on the night, but it was the decisive goal in a 3-2 aggregate win.

It's an incredible record that demonstrates not only what Eriksen gives Pochettino but also his strength of character.

Eriksen and Hazard are two peas in a pod with an unnerving sense of purpose that is rarely deflated. They just keep going and going, an approach that most teams eventually succumb to.

When comparing their roles, we're not judging Hazard and Eriksen on ability. If we were, Hazard would come away the winner in that debate. The Belgian is a special player, a rare talent in modern football, and his impact on the Premier League has far outstripped Eriksen's achievements.

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Study the teams they play in, though, and Eriksen is a more important figure.

Remove Hazard from any line-up across Europe and there is a significant hole in his absence. It happens at Chelsea on the rare occasion when he misses a game.

With so many other effective players, Chelsea often make do, however. They have Cesc Fabregas, Oscar, Willian and Diego Costa to cause damage.

What do Spurs have? Not so much depth is the answer.

Pochettino's side are reliant on Eriksen. As the season has developed, everything has started to revolve around his skill and Kane's goals.

That's the combination that works, and outside of it, nothing is quite as effective.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes.