Cesc Fàbregas was once again welcomed back to his old stomping grounds with a 90-minute long chorus of boos on Sunday. Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, the boos only seemed to energize the midfielder and propelled him to arguably his best showing of the season and maybe even his best in the last 12 months or so.
"He's in a line of improving. He played the previous games in a better way. He likes it when he can play and get the opportunity to play as we try to get the team in balance, the creative part and also with the boys who can recover balls as well. He can play well if the balance is right."
-Guus Hiddink; source: Chelsea FC
He likes it so much, he even pretended to be Lionel Messi for a hot minute there...
More tangibly, Fabregas was afforded plenty of space and time in the midfield and thus ran the show. He may not have gotten onto the scoresheet, but he created several chances, big boy'd Özil again, and warmed a few still cold Chellsea hearts.
All in a day's work! It's almost as he was wearing a magic hat to allow him to perform such amazing feats of magic.