New Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink is certain that Nicolas Anelka and Didider Drogba can fire his team to glory this season.

The frontline duo were rarely paired together by Hiddink’s Stamford Bridge predecessor Luiz Felipe Scolari who was recently fired by Blues owner Roman Abramovich.

It’s a scenario that the Dutchman seems determined to change after he named both players in the starting line-up for Chelsea’s vital 1-0 Premier League win at Aston Villa on Saturday.

Anelka scored the only goal of the game at Villa Park - Hiddink’s first in charge - and the France international now seems certain to start alongside his Ivory Coast teammate when Chelsea entertain Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday.

“When they did not play together at Chelsea, that depended upon other people’s style of play. That is in the past,” Hiddink said of Anelka and Drogba.

“My interest is only in the short future ahead for me and the team..

“They played together at Aston Villa in a very important game. You cannot hide in games like that.

“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.”

Despite Hiddink’s optimism, he will no doubt be hoping that Anelka’s goalscoring feats will rub off on Drogba sooner rather than later. Anelka has 21 goals to his name so far this campaign, while Drogba has just the one.

Nicolas Anelka scored his 100th Premier League goal for Chelsea against West Ham at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Here, PA Sport looks at five of the Frenchman’s best during his time in England with Arsenal, Bolton, Liverpool, Manchester City and the Blues.

November 2006, Bolton 3 Arsenal 1

Bolton pulled off a coup by signing the much-travelled striker from Fenerbahce for £8million in the summer of 2006. He took a while to settle at the Reebok but came to life spectacularly against his former club. Anelka’s first league goal for Wanderers in first-half stoppage time saw him cut inside on the left flank and unleash a 25-yard strike that flew past Jens Lehmann into the top corner. He then scored the clinching goal in the 75th minute with another clinical effort.

May 2003, Liverpool 1 Manchester City 2

Anelka switched to City in the summer of 2002 after Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier decided not to turn his loan move from Paris Saint-Germain into a permanent one. The striker responded by scoring twice at Anfield to prevent Liverpool qualifying for the Champions League. The first came from the penalty spot after he was fouled but the second was a peach of a goal as he lashed a volley into the net in injury time to give City their first win at Anfield for 22 years.

November 1997, Arsenal 3 Manchester United 2

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger paid £500,000 for a teenage Anelka in February 1997. He scored his first goal for the club in a memorable victory over United at Highbury, firing a low effort inside the near post from 20 yards. He went on to score in the Gunners’ FA Cup final victory over Newcastle in May 1998 and when he moved on to Real Madrid in 1999, Arsenal pocketed £23million.

November 2008, Blackburn 0 Chelsea 2

Anelka made little immediate impact following his £15million switch from Bolton to Chelsea last January. However, it was a different story at the start of this season, with Didier Drogba’s injuries thrusting Anelka into the spotlight. The Frenchman responded by jumping to the top of the scoring charts. Probably the pick of his goals was a terrific dinked finish at a rain-drenched Ewood Park after he ran onto a ball from Frank Lampard.

December 2004, Manchester City 1 West Brom 1

Anelka’s trademark goals normally involve his explosive pace and clinical finishing but this effort showed he can be just as deadly from set-pieces. When Andy Johnson handled outside the box, the Frenchman curled an unstoppable free-kick into the top corner.

A review of Saturday’s action in the Premier League. Tottenham clinched a massive upset over Liverpool with a 2-1 win.

Roman Pavlyuchenko pounced on the stroke of full-time to lift Tottenham off the foot of Barclays Premier League as they came from behind to beat former leaders Liverpool 2-1.

The Reds took the lead with just two minutes on the clock through a magnificent finish by Dirk Kuyt that saw Heurelho Gomes exposed yet again.

Jamie Carragher’s own goal levelled the scores and, with injury-time approaching, Pavlyuchenko tucked home a Darren Bent pass to inflict a first defeat of the season on the Reds, continuing Spurs’ good form since Harry Redknapp took over.

With the Reds failing to take even a point, Chelsea are back on top as Nicolas Anelka grabbed to inspire a 5-0 win over Sunderland.

Deco had already hit the post when Alex pounced from close range for the opener after 27 minutes. Anelka then nipped in ahead of Alex to add a second moments later and the Frenchman tapped in to make it 3-0 at half-time.

Lampard’s 100th league goal made it four before Anelka completed his hat-trick from close range.

Sunderland boss Roy Keane spent the second half watching from the stands after being sent from the bench for protesting about Anelka’s first goal, for which the striker appeared offside.

Elsewhere, Arsenal failed to deal with Rory Delap’s long throws as they crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Stoke.

Delap’s dangerous deliveries caused problems for the 10-man Gunners throughout the game at the Britannia Stadium and the visitors were punished as Ricardo Fuller and Seyi Olofinjana pounced.

Arsenal’s misery was compounded when substitute Robin van Persie was sent off for barging into goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, while Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott left the pitch in considerable pain - the latter with his left arm in a sling. Gael Clichy scored a late consolation for the Gunners.

Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice as Manchester United saw off brave Hull 4-3 at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese drilled the opener after three minutes before Hull showed more of the spirit which has served them well this term as Daniel Cousin glanced in an Andy Dawson free-kick to level.

Michael Carrick finished off a sweeping move to restore United’s lead and Ronaldo’s deflected header gave them a third before the break.

Nemanja Vidic turned in a fourth from a corner after 57 minutes but Bernard Mendy pulled one back with a fine lob and a Geovanni penalty made the closing moments difficult for the hosts.

Keith Andrews scored a late equaliser as 10-man Blackburn drew 2-2 at West Brom.

The Baggies had battled back to lead through Roman Bednar and Ishmael Miller in the second half after Benni McCarthy’s penalty had put Rovers ahead.

McCarthy struck in the 13th minute but was then sent off after earning a second yellow card for handball.

Everton left it late for the second time this week as Louis Saha opened his Toffees account with an 87th-minute winner against Fulham at Goodison Park.

Both sides hit the woodwork, Marouane Fellaini for the hosts and Bobby Zamora for Fulham, but there was little to excite until Saha came off the bench to head home Leon Osman’s cross.

The goal secured back-to-back victories for David Moyes’ side after their last-gasp midweek win over Bolton.

Emile Heskey also struck late as Wigan claimed a dramatic 2-1 win at Tony Adams’ Portsmouth.

Pompey looked to have salvaged a deserved point when Niko Kranjcar rewarded them for their second-half dominance with an 82nd-minute equaliser.

Wigan had taken the lead with Amr Zaki’s penalty but Pompey had the better of the chances with Peter Crouch, twice, and Sylvain Distin hitting the bar.

Mido’s equaliser saw Middlesbrough claim a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham.

The Egyptian drilled in a low free-kick on 83 minutes to cancel out Hayden Mullins’ 21st-minute strike.

Mullins initially fluffed his shot but got lucky as the ball spun behind him and he made no mistake with a powerful drive into the roof of the net.