Hiddink vows to turn Drogba and Anelka into duo

Guus Hiddink believes he can succeed where predecessor Luiz Felipe Scolari failed and turn Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka into a strike duo that can help Chelsea challenge for the Champions League title.

Hiddink showed his faith in the Ivory Coast striker and the French international for his first team selection against Aston Villa on Saturday.

He was rewarded with Anelka scoring the solitary goal of the game in a 1-0 win to ensure the Dutchman’s short-term manager’s role with the London club began with Chelsea’s first victory at Villa Park in a decade.

Anelka has now struck 21 times this season, in sharp contrast to Drogba’s single Premier League goal, but the pair are likely to be selected again by Hiddink for Wednesday’s first leg of the Champions League tie with Juventus.

Scolari rarely played both forwards in the same Chelsea team but Hiddink said: “When they did not play together at Chelsea, that depended upon other people’s style of play. That is in the past.

“My interest is only in the short future ahead for me and the team,” added Hiddink, who is continuing as manager of the Russian national side.

“They played together at Aston Villa in a very important game. You cannot hide in games like that,” said Hiddink, who has insisted he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season, after a match which saw the Blues leapfrog Villa into third place in the table.

“They worked very hard for the team and they helped us get the first win which was very pleasing for everyone, not just me.

“They understand that they are our first line of defence and if they can continue to play like that then there is no problem for me to use their very strong qualities as attacking players.”

Hiddink stressed he’d seen no signs of the reported rifts within the dressing room and that a team hug at the end of the game in front of the Chelsea spectators was a genuine exercise, rather than a public relations stunt.

“Their attitudes have been excellent. All the players have been good. We had a good week working and there have been no signs of all the problems that have been written about. What they did with the hug was genuine.

“If you have the correct attitude you can progress quickly and that is what I would like to do.

“I was not totally happy with the performance at Villa and there are some things that I saw in the second half that we will have to work on before Juventus,” he added.

“Juventus have a different style and will present different problems. They will not use long balls. Their skills will be a problem.

Villa’s defeat raised question marks over whether they can last the distance in the battle for a top four finish this season.

It was a disappointing end to a very tough week for Martin O’Neill and his players, after going out of the FA Cup last Sunday to Everton and being held by CSKA Moscow at Villa Park in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup on Wednesday.

But a defiant O’Neill said his players would not be adversely affected by their first defeat in 13 league games which capped a punishing schedule of three matches in six days.

“I don’t want to use that as an excuse. We are disappointed and upset by the result, but we are far from finished. There is no dent in morale whatsoever,” said O’Neill.

“We will bounce back from this and we are still in their fighting for a top four finish and we will continue to do so,” the former Celtic manager added.