CRACK IT,BAT Striker Michy set to start with a chance to convince Conte

ANTONIO CONTE insists Michy Batshuayi has improved – but warned him he also faces competition to play up front from winger Eden Hazard.

Conte offered backing, of a sort, to the striker after initially overlooking him for the defeat against Manchester City.

Blues boss Conte turned to attacking midfielder Willian against City, when Alvaro Morata limped off with a hamstring injury, before eventually calling on Batshuayi late in the game.

Batshuayi, 24, has made some key contributions since his £33million move from Marseille last summer, including scoring the title-clinching goal at West Brom last season and the winner at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last month.

And though Conte insisted his City decision was merely a tactical one, the snub sparked further debate about whether he has yet won over the Stamford

Bridge chief.

With Morata not expected back until Wednesday’s Roma clash, Batshuayi is set to deputise for the Spaniard at Crystal Palace today.

And Conte (above) insisted: “If you compare Michy with last season he has improved a lot.

“This season he is finding many opportunities to play. In the Champions League, in the league, to come on during the game or to start the game.

“Last season he had few opportunities but this season he is playing a lot. The most important thing is to show he is improving because, also don’t forget, as a striker I can utilise Eden Hazard.

“Last season we played two games with Hazard as a No.9, with Willian and Pedro. “If I see a game where this is the solution, I am ready to do that again. But Michy is deserving to have opportunities to show he can play.” Conte is also ready to use defenders David Luiz or Andreas Christensen as emergency midfielders after losing main man N’golo Kante to a hamstring injury suffered on France duty.

Kante, who has joined summer signing Danny Drinkwater on the injured list, will have a second scan next week after the first suggested he will be out for almost four weeks.

Conte said: “It is a big loss and a big problem.

“We have Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue

Bakayoko, then young players Kyle

Scott and Ethan Ampadu, but we must be ready to approach these seven games before the next international break and find different solutions.

“It will be very difficult to play with Fabregas and Bakayoko for seven games in a row and also we have to hope for no more injuries.

“We are talking also to adapt a player. I don’t want to change a lot, because you try and find a solution and you can lose something with the defence but, if there is the necessity, I am ready to do this.”