Jose Mourinho has strongly defended Eden Hazard while again insisting there are no fractures among his squad at Chelsea.
Chelsea's worst start since 1988 has led to speculation of rifts within the camp, which Mourinho has strenuously denied, while Hazard has struggled to reach the same heights this term.
The Belgian was the Premier League champions' star player last season and remains the competition's leading performer ahead of Saturday's clash with Arsenal, according to his manager.
Mourinho also joked that Hazard's missed penalty against Maccabi Tel-Aviv might have been a deal to "sponsor the Rugby World Cup."
Hazard skied a spot kick after just five minutes of the Champions League game, with an effort that looked more likely to come at Twickenham -- where the opening game of the 2015 Rugby World will be played on Friday.
"Maybe it was an agreement he did with some sponsor to promote the Rugby World Cup," Mourinho said.
Oscar took and scored Chelsea's second penalty versus Maccabi, but Mourinho said of Hazard: "He's the best penalty taker in this country too. If he's the best, The ball is on the spot. He is my first option. If he decides not to go, he doesn't go. But my first option is always him.
"He's the best player in England. So it's not because [Wayne] Rooney doesn't score goals for three weeks that he's not a fantastic player.
"It's not because a bad performance or a penalty lost or not scoring goals for three or four weeks.
"He is the best and he will be the best again. I don't know if it is tomorrow or if it is next week."
The mood has improved at Chelsea since Wednesday night's Champions League 4-0 win over Maccabi, but Mourinho is adamant the talk of a crisis is wrong ahead of the visit of long-time rival Arsene Wenger's Arsenal.
Mourinho also made light of some of the more controversial reports around Chelsea's poor beginning to their defence of the Premier League title.
They have managed just four points from five games, in what is Mourinho's worst ever spell in the league, ahead of hosting Arsenal this weekend.
The Portuguese said: "In everything you do in life, you need confidence to be better. When in football you lose matches you are affected. You can say no, but you are.
"Normally when bad results happen the first thing that comes into your [journalists'] laptops, iPads and pens is to find a dramatic story, somebody punch somebody in the dressing room, the manager doesn't want to speak with this guy.
"Diego Costa fought with John Terry and before they start the fight they brought a translator. They organise like far west duels -- at this time we are going to fight, bring a translator.
"Mourinho doesn't want to give a new contract to John and to [Branislav] Ivanovic. Mourinho instructs the scouts to find a right-back urgently. You always go in this direction.
"The other direction you don't go is the direction which is real. You lose matches..."
Information from the Press Association was used in this report.