Injuries rock Conte’s side
BLUES LOSE TWO IN A ROW
Antonio Conte admits Chelsea are going through a “difficult moment” after the Premier League champions crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat at lowly Crystal Palace.
Saturday’s loss left Conte’s side nine points adrift of leaders Manchester City and the pain was compounded by a hamstring injury to Victor Moses that will rule the wing-back out of Wednesday’s Champions League meeting with Roma.
Moses joins Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante on the sidelines, but Blues boss Conte is hopeful striker Alvaro Morata will be fit to return after sitting out the visit to Palace with a hamstring problem.
Chelsea have lost their last two league games with the Palace setback following a damaging defeat to Manchester City before the international break.
“I think for us it’s a very difficult moment,” he said.
“When you start a game without Morata and without Kante, it’s not simple. Above all if, during the game, another important player in your team has an injury too like Victor Moses, it’s tough.”
Questions have been raised about the depth of Conte’s squad this season and the Italian added: “I think the situation is very clear and everyone can see that situation.
“I repeat: my job is to be focused on my work with my players, and to try and do our best.
“Now, I repeat, for sure it’s not an easy moment for us. But I think that, in this moment, it’s important to find a solution.” Palace claimed their first league goals of the season after losing their first seven matches, with Cesar Azpilicueta’s own-goal setting them on their way and Wilfried Zaha tying up the win on the stroke of halftime after Tiemoue Bakayoko had equalised.
Roy Hodgson’s side remain at the foot of the table and while the Palace manager was relieved to get off the mark, he rejected the suggestion the club’s season had finally taken off.
“In terms of the season starting, I don’t embrace that idea. I don’t subscribe to it. A championship is 38 matches. Each is its own particular story,” he said. – AFP