LACK OF DEPTH IS STARTLING

CHELSEA are out of the title race — and hopes of defending their crown looked doomed in the summer when they did not adequately strengthen their squad. They replaced a reliable centre forward in Diego Costa with a striker in Alvaro Morata who has ability but has not yet gone the distance in a league campaign. Just look at the number of league games Morata has started in the last four seasons: 14 at Real Madrid last season, 16 for Juventus the year before, 11 in 2014-15 and three for Madrid in 2013-14. Could Antonio Conte really expect Morata to start 30 games — especially given the demands of the Premier League? And if he did not, then why didn’t he buy an upgrade on Michy Batshuayi?

Contrast this with the fact that Manchester City could afford to have Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero on the bench against Stoke. Conte would surely give anything to have those players. Missing Morata and N’Golo Kante at Palace, Chelsea looked a pale imitation of the side who won the title.

With the players available, Conte can’t expect to compete at the highest level. Chelsea have left themselves short.