Conte tells Blues to seize moment in Arsenal clash
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Shanghai Daily, February 4, 2017
 |
Antonio Conte says Chelsea must seize the chance to move a step closer to winning the English Premier League title when the leader faces Arsenal in today's crucial summit meeting.
Conte's side is nine points clear at the top with 15 games remaining and victory over title rival Arsenal at Stamford Bridge would be a significant moment in the race to replace Leicester City as English champion.
Beating the third-placed Gunners would move Chelsea 12 points clear of Arsene Wenger's side, as well as sending a message to the chasing pack that the Blues are determined to hold onto their lead.
Conte would dearly love to see off Arsenal after the north Londoners' 3-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium in their previous meeting this season.
That was the most chastening moment of Conte's first season at Chelsea and the Italian, whose side has lost only one of its last 17 league games, said: "There are 15 games left and 45 points. Now we must focus on Arsenal.
"They are a great team who can fight for the title. Don't forget we lost 3-0 away.
"This could be a good chance for us to show that in the second part of the season we are a totally different team if you compare us to the previous team."
With Chelsea held to a 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Tuesday, Arsenal squandered an opportunity to close the gap as it crashed to a shock 1-2 home defeat against Watford.
Wenger's side haven't won at the Bridge since 2011 and it must end that barren run to remain in the title hunt.
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech, who won four league titles during his time at Chelsea, said of the Watford defeat: "It was a huge setback because we wanted to put ourselves in a better position going into the weekend."
Second-placed Tottenham Hotspur hosts Middlesbrough as it tries to regain ground on Chelsea after drawing its last two matches.
"With the mentality we have here, we would be upset to finish in the same position as last season," said Tottenham's Eric Dier, whose team lost out to Leicester in the title battle last term.
At the King Power Stadium both managers will be in the spotlight as troubled Leicester and spluttering Manchester United clash.
United manager Jose Mourinho was in a foul mood after Hull held on for a goalless draw in midweek that left his team four points adrift of the top four.
Ranting about decisions by the officials and a perceived lack of fair treatment by football authorities, Mourinho cut a paranoid figure.
Defender Phil Jones admitted the atmosphere among the United players was at a low ebb.
"We said before the game that this was our chance to put some pressure on the teams above us. We knew that teams around us would slip up and they have done, but we couldn't capitalize on it," he said.
Leicester's fairytale title triumph already seems like a distant memory as Claudio Ranieri's team finds itself just two points above the relegation zone after three successive defeats.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)