Guus Hiddink has admitted one of his principal tasks at Chelsea is to convince his players they can emulate the leadership qualities demonstrated up and down the spine of the side he oversaw during his first spell as interim manager seven years ago.

The reigning champions travel to Crystal Palace on Sunday without an away win in the Premier League since August but, having gone three games without defeat, on the longest unbeaten sequence of their title defence. Hiddink has drawn his two games in charge to date but has been encouraged by the commitment and intensity demonstrated in training and on the pitch from the squad he inherited from José Mourinho.

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However, with only John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Mikel John Obi still at the club from his first spell in temporary charge in 2009, Hiddink is still learning about the characters of those he is now overseeing. “It’s a bit different from all those years ago,” he said. “I’m not going to say worse or better but different. It was a bit easier last time because we weren’t down the table and there were players with big international experience. Different types. Look at the spine of the team back then: Drogba, Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Mikel, Alex, Terry … the centre was strong. A different team with different personalities.”

Asked if there were more natural leaders in that team, whom he steered to third in the Premier League, a Champions League semi-final and FA Cup success, Hiddink said: “That’s what I’m asking now of the players; that they must demand it of each other, not just in their commitment because they’re all committed. I’ve seen the intensity of training and the games but in the technical way of playing I like to see some players take the lead from central defence into midfield.

“Tactically, you can do a lot with two or three words to your companion in front of you. We [managers] think we have a lot of power on the bench but that’s not true. You can just prepare the team and make the substitutions. I want the players to be in charge out on the pitch. To compare the team now to 2009, there were a few more guys who took that tactical lead last time. Now I’m asking these guys to take the lead – but you cannot blame these guys for a lack of commitment or intensity to their game.”

The need to restore Eden Hazard, the 2014-15 player of the year, to some kind of form is obvious; the Belgian’s last club goal came against Crystal Palace in May. That header, after Julián Speroni had saved Hazard’s initial penalty, secured the title for Chelsea and, while the playmaker’s performances had revived over the latter stages of Mourinho’s tenure, he still awaits reward. Now fully recovered from the hip injury suffered at Leicester City and a knock sustained in Monday’s draw at Manchester United, Hazard will start at Selhurst Park.

“He is back in shape,” Hiddink said. “You could see when he was warming up against Watford and he was looking at me as if saying: ‘Bring me, bring me on.’ That is an indication he can get back to the performance levels we are used to. He had a difficult game at Old Trafford, where they were searching for him all over the pitch, but he reacted well. Very strong, his character. If he does that he will come back to the levels we are used to.

“I’m not a psychologist who tells my players to come in and lie on the couch and I will assess them professionally. I have short conversations in the dressing room or on the pitch with most of the players and you smell how they feel and how eager they are. They are not official sessions – but Eden smells well. His character is quiet but very determined.”