Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink has warned his Chelsea players they can’t afford any more dropped points against the likes of Watford if they are to finish in the top four.
The Blues are closer to the relegation zone than to the Champions League places but Hiddink outlined his aim to continue to push for a European spot after replacing Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho had written off Chelsea’s hopes of making the top four days before his sacking and two points dropped against the Hornets hasn’t done the Blues any favours.
Hiddink, in the dugout for the first time since returning to Stamford Bridge as boss, felt his team perhaps deserved a win as Oscar’s late penalty miss saw the points shared.
“At the end it is a fair result,” he told BBC Sport. “It’s difficult. To be finishing fourth you have to win these games and also depend on your opponents. But I want to see the team showing that ambition until it is mathematically impossible.
Chelsea 2-2 Watford in pictures:
“You have to have respect Watford because they have been on a winning streak and have very decent strikers. But in the end I think we could have made a little bit more, we had some chances and it was a pity Oscar slipped for the penalty.
"The fans have the right to express their minds on what happened - we must not underestimate that and give them all the freedom to do so. But we have to go on and that is my main concern now. We have to get the team fit mentally and physically.
Diego Costa scored twice against Watford, the first time he’s managed that in almost a year, and Hiddink was encouraged by the striker’s performance.
However, he was equally frustrated as a late booking took the Spaniard to five for the campaign and will see him suspended for the trip to Manchester United on Monday.
"Diego Costa, when he is focussed on what he is good at like today, he has his profit from his play,” Hiddink added. “He will not be there [against Manchester United on Monday] which means we have to think a bit. [Eden] Hazard came back in the last week and had two training sessions and we hope he can be fully fit.
"Every Chelsea versus Manchester United game is big but this one is especially of course. I hope we can show the same ambition there that we showed in a big part of this game today."
