DON’T PANIC DIEGO
PREMIER LEAGUE Goal-shy Costa backed
ANTONIO CONTE has backed Diego Costa to come good again despite his goal slump.
The Chelsea boss reckons his star striker can still score whenever he wants to.
Costa has found the net just three times in the Premier League in 2017 after 14 goals in the first half of the season.
But the 28-year-old Spaniard still has the support of his manager, even though he has failed to take his early-season form into the business end of the campaign.
Ahead of today’s trip to Bournemouth, Conte said: “I’m not concerned about Diego. It can happen.
Unlucky
“For me, the most important thing is he is showing me great commitment and behaviour during the games, and is doing what I want.
“That’s very important. He was also unlucky in a lot of circumstances. But a player like Diego Costa can score in every game.
“He has experience, character, personality. That’s very important for us and the team. Also, he has won in the past.
“He’s an important player if he is scoring or if he isn’t. He must continue with his commitment and then I’m sure he’ll score.
“Do I need to speak to him? No, no, no. I speak with all my players and, if I’m not ® happy with someone’s commitment or behaviour, then I would speak to him.
“But if he’s not scoring? He’s playing good football and doing what I want.”
Conte should have Victor Moses back for the trip to the south coast as he looks to extend his team’s seven-point lead at the top.
The Italian played down a reported tunnel bust-up involving his fitness coach Paolo Bertelli and Manchester City masseur Mark Sertori following Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
He said: “I stayed in the changing room. I didn’t see what happened.
“I saw, during the game, that there was in one moment a bit of confrontation but then it finished.
“It’s normal because when you are in this moment of the season and there are two great teams playing for the title, there are nerves.
“The most important thing is always to show great respect, the winners and the losers.”