Paul Clement is confident Alfie Mawson can help shackle Diego Costa and Eden Hazard as he prepares for a "special" return to Chelsea with his Swansea City side.
Clement rose through the coaching ranks at Stamford Bridge to work with the first team under Guus Hiddink and later as assistant boss to Carlo Ancelotti, whom he also served at Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The 45-year-old has overseen an upturn in fortunes since taking the top job at Swansea in January, with the Swans winning three of their past four Premier League matches to move out of the relegation zone.
Centre-back Mawson, who joined from Barnsley in August, has been crucial during that run and Clement has been impressed with how the 23-year-old has played in recent weeks.
Asked if Mawson can cope with the threat posed by the Premier League leaders, Clement replied: "He cannot do the job alone but I am confident he can do his part.
"He is being pushed hard in training as we have good back-up in those positions. Everyone will have to play well if we are to get a result.
"He is one of a number who have stepped up, it has been a team effort, when we are organised and everyone knows their jobs it is easier.
"Alfie has a lot of experience, he is playing well and needs to keep form up by training well and working hard."
On his return to Stamford Bridge, Clement added: "It is special, I am looking forward to going back, I had two spells from 1995 to 2000 and full-time 2007 to 2011.
"The last two years were memorable working with Carlo [where we] won the double, which is very rare. I am in touch with some people at the club and it will be nice.
"Before me and after me they have recruited good managers and coaches with experience who are winners and have continued to invest in team.
"The team is different to when I was there. [John] Terry, [David] Luiz and [Nemanja] Matic are the ones I know, but they always evolve and invest and when you get good managers and good players it is a good mix."
Swansea have beaten Liverpool and narrowly lost to Manchester City in the last month and Clement insists his side are not on a shot to nothing against Antonio Conte's men.
"That might have been the case going to Liverpool and City but I think they would say we gave them hard games," he said. "In both games we worked very hard and I think we could give anyone a difficult game in this moment."
