Chelsea boss Antonio Conte insists that the title race is still wide open, and it’s very normal for both Manchester clubs to lead the race.
Antonio Conte and his side have managed to recover from a slow start but both Manchester City and Manchester United are on top of the table. Both the Manchester sides are tied at the top of the table having both scored an incredible 16 goals apiece. They’ve been brilliant and brutal, which has left pundits and critics alike to call it a two-horse race.
This is all despite the fact that Chelsea is not too far down the trail from either Manchester clubs, trailing by only 3 points. That’s the impact both Mourinho and Guardiola has had on this season, so much so that last season’s Champions have become an afterthought. However, after an early loss to Burnley in the first match of the season, Chelsea has managed to win three out of their four games.
The Blues did all that without the injured Eden Hazard, Gary Cahill who was banned for five games and with Alvaro Morata still blending in up front. But despite all that Conte’s men are still within striking distance of both the Manchester sides. That’s exactly why Antonio Conte, (who defied all critics to win the title) told critics to wait for the season to end before making any presumptions.
It’s normal, says Antonio Conte during an interview
In his pre-match interview, Conte said “You know very well that, in England, there are six top teams. Manchester’s teams are in these six teams. It’s normal. It’s normal for United and City to be competitive and to fight for the title and the other competitions. It’s normal.
He also spoke about injuries and his football adding “My idea of football is to be a team, and then the team try to extract the characteristics of the individual players.
Now we are recovering Hazard after a bad injury, and recovering Pedro after a bad start to the season with injuries. We’re trying to face difficult situations, bad situations – Cahill three games of suspension, and now David Luiz.”
However, Antonio Conte’s man-management skills have come into question with the controversy surrounding Diego Costa and tension over losing Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United, it has taken everything for the Blues to return to form. Conte further added “The best way is to look at ourselves. This is the best way. We have to continue to work together to try and improve.
You know very well the difficulty of this league, to win this league. Last season we did this. But, for sure, we want to try and fight until the end [again].”
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte on whether the title is already an all-Manchester two-horse race #CFC @MirrorDarren https://t.co/Wtfvbvx8vL pic.twitter.com/jZZzyoLhhJ
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) September 19, 2017
Author’s take
The Premier League will definitely be a tough test for any team, with six top teams fighting for one single trophy. However, the Premier League is certainly not on Antonio Conte’s mind, with the Champions playing in the Carabao Cup, and Eden Hazard starting his first game of the season. Many youngsters will also make an appearance, including highly rated new signing 17-year-old Ethan Ampadu.
