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LONDON. — Antonio Conte maintains there is no panic at Chelsea going into their crunch English Premiership soccer clash against Manchester City tonight.
The match kicks-off at 9pm.
The Blues boss saw his side stunned by Crystal Palace on Saturday to reduce the gap between the leaders and second-placed Spurs to seven points.
Victories for City at Stamford Bridge and Spurs at Swansea tonight would reduce that gap to just four points.
All of Chelsea’s defeats in the League this season have come in London.
But Conte said: “At this moment, I’m pleased with my players. I’m seeing, always, great commitment from my players.
“It can happen. You can lose the game. But we didn’t deserve to win the game against Crystal Palace. But football is wonderful also for this type of result. And tomorrow (tonight) we’ll have another game.”
Conte celebrates a year since he was confirmed as Blues boss by the club’s hierarchy.
He admitted he is delighted to have lived up to their hopes of a title challenge 12 months on.
“The time flies,” he said. “It’s good, it’s good. Good for me, a fantastic experience. A good experience for me and my family, also.
“It’s great to stay here and, after one year, to talk with you also and have these press conferences. And, above all, to talk about winning the league.
“Because, I repeat, it wasn’t sure one year ago that we would be staying in this position.”
Conte refused to confirm, however, that Chelsea are poised to open talks for Arsenal superstar Alexis Sanchez.
The 28-year-old forward has just over a year left on his contract and Chelsea have him as one of their prime summer targets.
Conte went on: “You know I don’t like to speak about other players of other clubs. It’s disrespectful for the other club and, above all, for my players. It’s not the right moment to speak about this.”
Meanwhile, Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho believes his side can reignite their English Premier League title ambitions tonight against a Chelsea team rocked by a shock 2-1 defeat against Crystal Palace.
Ten points clear following the international break, Chelsea saw their lead trimmed to seven points after they crashed at home to Palace on Saturday and second-place Tottenham Hotspur won 2-0 at Burnley.
City could not follow Spurs’ lead, drawing 2-2 at Arsenal on Sunday, but victory at Stamford Bridge tonight will leave them eight points below Chelsea with eight games of the season remaining.
“The Premier League is still open,” Fernandinho told the City website.
“We have a tough game against Chelsea away. To be close to them, we have to win that game and we will see what will happen at the end of the season.”
Chelsea came from behind to record a clinical 3-1 victory when the teams last met at the Etihad Stadium in December.
But while Conte’s side remain overwhelming title favourites, failure to beat City would give hope to the chasing teams who have spent much of the season trailing in their wake.
Chelsea failed to avoid defeat against Palace despite boasting a close to full-strength team and having almost 80 minutes in which to turn the game around.
However, although neutrals will be crossing their fingers for another slip-up against Pep Guardiola’s City, Conte has urged his players to think of the pressure in positive terms.
“There is big pressure, but it is normal when you are in a great club and you are very good,” the Chelsea manager told the club website.
“When you are lucky enough to fight for the title there is the pressure, but not only for us, for a lot of teams.
“Don’t forget, the other teams were candidates to win the title, but instead we stay top of the table and we try to keep this position.”
City were one of the teams expected to challenge for the title, particularly after Guardiola’s much-trumpeted appointment, but as the draw at Arsenal highlighted, they remain vulnerable in defence.
The result extended their current unbeaten run to eight league games — the longest such sequence of Guardiola’s tenure — but the last three of those matches have all been drawn.
City twice took the lead at Arsenal, only to be pegged back on both occasions, and Guardiola believes his team struggle psychologically when they have a lead to defend.
“When the team is down, we react because everything is lost and we react in a good, good way,” he told reporters at the Emirates Stadium after the stalemate against Arsenal.
“To handle a situation at 1-0 (up), we are not comfortable, not yet. But we will be better. We will improve in the future.”
With Bacary Sagna expected to miss out again due to a groin strain and Pablo Zabaleta short of fitness, Guardiola may have to decide whether to persist with Jesus Navas at right-back.
The Spanish winger looked ragged at times against Arsenal and in Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, he would be up against one of the most lethal attacking players in the division.
City received some good news on Monday when Gabriel Jesus returned to training after breaking his foot, but the Brazil starlet is not expected to be available for selection for several weeks.
Chelsea wing-back Victor Moses is a major doubt after missing the Palace game with a calf strain, which saw Pedro fill in on the right flank.
City won 3-0 on their last visit to the Bridge a year ago, with Sergio Aguero plundering a hat-trick in a game that saw Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois sent off for upending Fernandinho.
Neither side came close to challenging champions Leicester City last season, but a similar outcome tonight could have major repercussions for this season’s title race. — AFP.
Online Reporter