Chelsea are ready to reclaim their Premier League crown, according to manager Antonio Conte.
The Blues lifted the title in the 2014/15 season but failed to put up much of a fight in terms of defending the trophy last season as a difficult year – which saw the dismissal of Jose Mourinho – end with a disappointing 10th placed finish.
However, the mood around the west London outfit has improved significantly since the appointment of Conte in the summer and he’s insisted that his side are ready to compete for the title after going top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Sunday afternoon.
“I think that we are ready,” Conte told a news conference, as reported by FourFourTwo.
“We are ready to play many games in a few days because from the start of the season we worked a lot, not only on tactical aspect but also on the physical aspect.
“We continue to work because in this league it’s important to have, in every game, high intensity and to run from the start until the end.
“Also [it is important] to have good technique, good talent, but if you link these two things [with good fitness], for me it’s important.”
Following Liverpool’s goalless draw with Southampton 24 hours prior, the Blues went into the clash at the Riverside Stadium knowing that a sixth straight league win would have been enough to end the weekend at the summit.
True to form, Diego Costa’a 10th goal of the season was enough to secure maximum points for Chelsea as Conte’s decision to revert back to his trusted 3-4-3 system continues to pay dividends.
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