Antonio Conte: Chelsea can be Premier League champions

Antonio Conte talked up Chelsea’s Premier League title chances after their charge to the top continued at Southampton.

By Alex Crook                                 

Eden Hazard celebrates scoring Chelsea's opener

The in-form Blues moved to within a point of the summit following their fourth successive league win.

In the build-up to yesterday’s trip to the south coast, Conte claimed it was too early to discuss a championship bid.

But after Eden Hazard and Diego Costa struck, the Chelsea chief said: “If you ask me if I have confidence, then yes.

“We know the road if very long but it is important to work hard and confidence is increasing. To stay that close to the title and first place is good and gives us great confidence.

“We have to work very hard but we must improve. Then after the first part of the season I can say more about this.

“It is more important for the players to concentrate on themselves than look at the league table at this moment.

“We knew this was a big test against a good team who are very strong. I am very happy because I saw great commitment and great work rate from all the players.

“That is the right way to have great satisfaction. Now this game is in the past and we must concentrate on the next matches.”

Chelsea defender David Luiz leads the celebrations

Conte hailed star man Eden Hazard after taking his season’s goal tally to five - more than he managed in the whole of the last woeful campaign.

He said: “Eden’s work rate was fantastic. When you see Eden, Pedro and Diego Costa working hard you are happy.

“Eden and Costa scored and we could have had more goals because we created many good chances.”

Chelsea have gone six hours without conceding and Saints boss Claude Puel had no complaints following the home loss.

Chelsea striker Diego Costa celebrates his goal

Puel said: “Chelsea are the best team we have played this year and it was difficult to find a solution against them.

“It is disappointing because we conceded a goal after a few minutes and this is very difficult against Chelsea.

“We could have done better on the first goal and after that Chelsea defended well and played on the counter attack

“We were not clinical enough. It is a pity for my players because we tried to play good football.”

SOUTHAMPTON (4-2-1-2-1): Forster 6; Martina 5, Fonte 6, van Dijk 6, Bertrand 6 (McQueen, 78); Romeu 6; Clasie 5 (Boufal, 61, 5), DAVIS 6; Tadic 5 (Hojbjerg, 78); Redmond 5, Austin 6
Subs: Taylor, Yoshida, Ward-Prowse, Olomola
UP NEXT: Inter Milan (h), Europa League, Thursday

CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois 6; Azpilicueta 6, Luiz 7, Cahill 7; Moses 8 (Ivanovic, 86), Kante 6, Matic 7, Alonso 6; Pedro 6 (Willian, 78), Costa 8 (Batshuayi, 89), HAZARD 9
Subs: Begovic, Oscar, Terry, Chalobah
UP NEXT: Everton (h), Premier League, Saturday

Referee: Mike Jones 7

Star player: EDEN HAZARD – Unplayable on this form
Star shocker: CUCO MARTINA – Could not live with Hazard
dailystar.co.uk