Antonio Conte has praised his players’ achievement in securing a club record 11th Premier League victory in succession, establishing a nine-point lead at the top in the process, and suggested they can enjoy a “special future” if standards are maintained in the weeks ahead.
The leaders will be without the suspended Diego Costa and N’Golo Kanté when they confront Bournemouth on Boxing Day after both picked up their fifth yellow cards of the term in a hard-fought victory over Crystal Palace. Kanté was cautioned by Jon Moss for a foul on Jason Puncheon while Costa, who scored his 50th goal for the club to secure victory, appeared to be sanctioned for dissent in the first half after he was penalised for a foul on Joe Ledley. It was his first card in 11 matches.
Conte voiced his frustration at that decision in the aftermath. “I don’t know if he deserved it, and it is a pity,” said the Italian. “I must be honest, I hoped Diego would arrive at the game against Stoke [on New Year’s Day] without the yellow card. It didn’t happen. It’s a pity because he’s in a good moment of form and he didn’t deserve the yellow card today.
“But, against Bournemouth, we have eight days to find a different solution. For me, this can be an opportunity to see other solutions or other ideas. But, if you ask me if I’m disappointed to lose him and Kanté, yes I’m disappointed. They’re both important players for us.
“But the run is fantastic, and congratulations go to my players. They deserve this. I see them in training every single moment, every day, and their commitment and the way they prepare for the games and fight … I am not a person who loves statistics but I would be dishonest if I said I wasn’t pleased with this run of 11 wins.
“We have worked so hard to reach this lead in the table, and to win 11 games in a row in this league is not simple. In this league, if we’d arrived here today without the right concentration and focus, the will to fight and go into battle with our opponents, we’d have lost this game for sure. Instead, we have great quality but the players are putting that quality into the team.
“This is my first season in England and it’s fantastic [to have played] 17 games and to have won 14 of them. I like to see that in the present, but I want the future to be special for us, and I only know one way for this is to work, work and work.”
Meanwhile, Willian revealed Oscar has said his goodbyes to his team-mates at the Premier League leaders, ready for the completion of his £60m move to Shanghai SIPG, and will depart with the squad’s best wishes.
Chelsea expect to confirm the 25-year-old’s sale in the next few days, before the opening of the transfer window next month. He will earn £350,000 a week after tax at the Chinese Super League club.
“He has said goodbye,” Willian told ESPN Brazil. “He’s a good friend and a great player. We wish him the best, him and his family. The life of a player goes quickly, it can end quickly and when an opportunity like this comes up we think of our families, and to have something when we stop playing and be well-prepared for that.”
