Deadly Diego defuses discord
China-linked Costa nets as Blues boss bids to bury exit speculation
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte hailed his team’s united front after Diego Costa marked his return with a goal in a 2-0 victory over Hull City on Sunday.
Absent from the Blues’ win at Leicester amid reports of a split with Conte after being supposedly being unsettled by an offer from China, Costa celebrated his opener with a hand gesture suggestive of media chatter.
Conte claimed not to have seen the celebration, but, after Chelsea stretched its lead to eight points at the top of the Premier League, the Italian was confident the matter had been put to bed.
“Honestly, I didn’t see it because I was celebrating on the bench,” Conte said.
“When we score goals, sometimes my celebrations are very dangerous for my staff! It’s important to score the goal and to celebrate in any way.
“It’s important Diego played a good game and I hope with this game to finish the speculation about him, about Chelsea, about me and him.
“Because I think we showed that we are a team with a great unity and I think this is the real value, because we stay top of the table.”
Costa notched his 15th goal of the season from a Victor Moses cross in the seventh of nine minutes of first-half stoppage time, which was added because of a serious head injury to Hull’s Ryan Mason.
It was later revealed Mason underwent surgery on a fractured skull.
The Costa speculation is unlikely to vanish, with reports suggesting he will leave in the summer.
However, Conte said he was more worried about preserving Chelsea’s position in the league than about his striker’s longterm future.
Asked if Costa signing a new contract would help douse the rumors, Conte replied: “I don’t know. This decision is something you have to take together with the club.
“But I repeat — he’s very happy to stay with us and to play with Chelsea.
“For us, now, it’s very important to concentrate on the present and don’t see too far.
“If we start to see too far, we risk losing the present. The present is more important than the future.”
Hull’s disappointment was compounded by Mason’s injury. The former Tottenham midfielder required oxygen on the pitch and was taken to hospital after a shuddering clash of heads with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill.
“Ryan is in a stable condition and is expected to remain in hospital for the next few days,” said a Hull statement after his surgery.
“A further update will be issued Monday.”
Hull, which remains in the relegation zone, was missing Robert Snodgrass due to what coach Marco Silva said was a “small” knee injury.
The Scotland international, Hull’s outstanding performer this season, has been strongly linked with a move to West Ham United.
Asked if Snodgrass would leave the club in this month’s transfer window, Silva replied: “I hope not because he’s a good player, an important player for us, and I don’t want important players to leave.”
Chelsea hosts fellow west Londoners second-tier Brent ford in the FA Cup this weekend before a league doubleheader with Liverpool and Arsenal.
With Spurs, Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs all dropping points, Chelsea’s grip on first place has further tightened, but Con tea ired a warning.
“Me and my players, we have a good experience to understand that this league will be very tough until the end,” said Conte, who saw Cahill head in Chelsea’s second goal in the 81st minute.
“To win this type of game and exploit the situation that the other teams dropped points is very important.
“But this league will be very tough until the end. To stay now in that position is fantastic for us because at the start of the season, not one person thought this was possible.”