Guus Hiddink Talks Diego Costa, Oscar and More After Chelsea Draw with Watford

Guus Hiddink insisted he doesn't deserve the credit for Diego Costa's return to goalscoring form for Chelsea after the Spain international bagged a brace for the Blues to earn a point in a 2-2 draw against Watford at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day.

Jose Mourinho's successor actually downplayed his role in Costa's revival after his first game officially back in charge at Chelsea, according to ESPN's Liam Twomey:

It was certainly a rare prolific day for Costa, as WhoScored.com detailed:

But in what's been typical for Chelsea's struggling season, good vibes have to share space with some bad news. Costa found the net twice against the Hornets, but he was also booked. The infraction means he'll sit out the game against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It's an absence Hiddink is already ruing, per Twomey:

Replacing a buoyant Costa won't be easy. But the presence of pacy Frenchman Loic Remy might actually be to Chelsea's advantage against United's plodding back four.

Hiddink would love to go into that game with a win under his belt. He very nearly did.

With the score tied at 2-2, Oscar missed a penalty that would have seen Watford off. The Brazilian playmaker took a tumble after a comic slip before he connected with the ball.

Hiddink took the incident in good spirits and made light of the costly error:

In fairness to Oscar, he was otherwise excellent on the day. But the same couldn't be said of fellow midfield schemer Cesc Fabregas.

The struggling Spaniard was removed in favour of pragmatic holding player John Obi Mikel. Significantly, Hiddink stressed how the need to balance the side influenced his decision:

Hiddink's logic can't be faulted. But the fact he would choose to sacrifice Fabregas in the name of more solidity, speaks volumes for how much the ex-Arsenal and Barcelona man is struggling to impose himself on games this season.

Creating an environment where Chelsea's disgruntled stars can get back on track will be Hiddink's main focus. But by downplaying his own impact, he's actually empowering players such as Costa.

After the intensity that often marked Mourinho's final interviews, this was a calm and player-friendly approach from Hiddink. The next step is to turn the good will into better results on the pitch.