Eden Hazard's Chelsea Renaissance Is Only Good News for Antonio Conte

The Eden Hazard renaissance continues at Chelsea.

We saw the Belgian in sublime form against Liverpool on Wednesday, capping it off with an excellent goal that should have won the game for the Blues. Instead, an Asmir Begovic error at the death saw Liverpool draw level through Christian Benteke as the game finished 1-1.

That shouldn't take the gloss of what was a fine display from Hazard. At times, this was an impressive performance from Chelsea collectively, too.

It hasn't always been like this, of course. The Stamford Bridge club have struggled plenty this season, with Hazard proving the biggest casualty/villain (delete depending on preference) in what has been a forgettable campaign. Chelsea fans have been counting the days for it to be over so the reset button can be hit and the club rebuild.

Should he look at results and the club's league position, incoming boss Antonio Conte will see the need for a dramatic improvement next term. He'd be forgiven for questioning why he's agreed to take the job at all.

Chelsea have conceded 52 times in the Premier League this season, which is their worst defensive record in 19 years. Not since the 1996/97 campaign have the Blues been so charitable at the back.

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The difference between then and now is that Chelsea weren't expected to achieve anything like they are in the Roman Abramovich era. The team of the late 1990s was one packed full of talent, but the club was in a different position to what it is now.

In the 21st century, Chelsea are part of the elite and mid-table finishes are not going to cut it. Not even for Jose Mourinho—the club's most successful manager—who lost his job seven months after winning a third Premier League title with Chelsea.

If a man with his level of credit along the King's Road can't survive a bad season, then there's little hope for anyone else. The money invested dictates that, as does the level of talent that currently occupies the Stamford Bridge dressing room.

Conte knows he has his work cut out to restore Chelsea's position at the top. The influx of television money into the Premier League means the west Londoners can't boss their way through the transfer market as they have done in years gone by. The level of competition has been raised to where they have to battle that bit harder.

It's why Hazard's glittering end to the season will breed a sense of confidence in Conte. It started with his brace against Bournemouth a fortnight ago, with his starring role against Tottenham Hotspur last week taking it on that bit further.

At Anfield we saw more of the 2015 Player of the Year than we did the disappointment of 2016. Hazard was excellent, producing everything that was good about Guus Hiddink's side on the night.

Since recovering from that hip injury, the jinking runs have returned, and he's looked more like the player of old. He's back to playing with his head up, swiveling past opponents with ease in the manner of which he scored the game's opening goal.

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When Hazard picked up the ball just inside the final third of Liverpool's half, there was nothing giving. The Reds had men back and a decent defensive shape. All that mattered little, though, as the 25-year-old slalomed his way past four players before placing his shot into the bottom corner of Simon Mignolet's goal.

It was a class act that Chelsea fans wanted to see in October, not May.

We can point to those frustrations, yet the fact Hazard is beginning to return to the levels of form we have seen in the past, is a reason for feeling positive. Conte knows he's inheriting a player who is getting back to his best.

With the 2016 UEFA European Championship separating the current season from the next, Hazard still has plenty more football to play, assuming Belgium live up to their billing and advance into the latter stages of the competition.

Much can happen in that time. What Hazard's proving now, though, is that when he's fit and free from his ailments, there isn't a better player in this Chelsea team. And that's one less problem for Conte to be dealing with.

Hazard was infectious on Wednesday evening. Just by surveying the faces of the Chelsea players when they celebrated his goal with him, we could see the impact he has on his team-mates.

He delivers a sense of belief on this Chelsea team, which is why his dominant display rubbed off on players like Pedro and Nemanja Matic in the middle of the pitch.

Players of his quality are what coaches build teams around. If he didn't realise it already, Conte can do that with Hazard.

Now Conte just has to keep hold of him and sort out Chelsea's other problems. And there are many.

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