Chelsea set eyes on Cloud Nine
ANTONIO Conte’s Chelsea juggernaut rolls back into action against West Bromwich Albion tomorrow with the Premier League leaders chasing a ninth consecutive win.
Chelsea produced the most impressive display of their winning streak last weekend when they came from behind to win 3-1 at Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
They have not won nine successive league games within the same season since 2007 and ahead of West Brom’s visit, Marcos Alonso has urged his teammates not to let their level drop.
“Winning game after game gives you confidence but you have to keep working,” the Spanish wing-back said.
While most of Chelsea’s title rivals have been in European action this week, Conte’s side have once again had a full week to prepare for the visit of Tony Pulis’s side.
It is 32 years since West Brom last won at Chelsea, but they have drawn on two of their last three visits and have climbed to seventh in the table on the back of a four-game unbeaten run.
“[Chelsea] are on a great run of form,” West Brom manager Pulis said. “But we’ll go there and do our best.”
Guardiola’s City will look to kick their title challenge back into gear when they visit unravelling champions Leicester City today.
The ill-tempered defeat at Chelsea’s hands left a mark, with Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho picking up red cards.
City have slipped to fourth place on the table, four points below Chelsea. Leicester are toiling in 16th place.
While City have won their last three away matches in the league, they have won just four of their last 14 games in all competitions.
Guardiola’s problems pale in comparison, however, beside those of Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri, who saw a secondstring side trounced 5-0 by Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday.
With seven defeats already, Leicester’s league form is as alarming as last season’s was astonishing and has left them just two points above the relegation zone.
Second-place Arsenal, three points behind Chelsea, can take over at the summit if they beat Stoke City by two goals or more at the Emirates Stadium today.
Like Chelsea, third-place Liverpool have had a week off to prepare for tomorrow’s home game with West Ham.
Manchester United entertain Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow, two days after returning from a Europa League trip to play Ukrainian side Zorya Luhansk. Fixtures: Today: Arsenal v Stoke, Burnley v Bournemouth, Hull v Crystal Palace, Leicester v Man City, Swansea v Sunderland, Watford v Everton.
Sunday : Chelsea v West Brom, Liverpool v West Ham, Man United v Tottenham, Southampton v Middlesbrough. — AFP