Wrong for Costa?

situation, when we win or when we lose. I’m sure Diego is in good form, great form, and is performing well.”

Conte, like Costa’s previous club managers Diego Simeone and Mourinho, may have to take some of the responsibility for the downturn.

Such has been Costa’s huge influence on those manager’s teams, they have been loathe to rotate him.

Rather than anything untoward going on this term in light of Tianjin’s interest or Chelsea’s refusal so far to give him a massive pay rise on a new contract, perhaps fatigue is at hand.

After all, despite spending £33.1m on Michy Batshuayi — more than £1m above the figure paid for Player of the Year candidate N’Golo Kante — Conte has not started the Belgian once in the Premier League.

Former Chelsea winger and BBC FiveFi Live pundit Pat Nevin said: “It is a proproblemlem for every club if their top strikerstrik isn’t scoring. For example, the samesam happens at Manchester United wiwith Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But it can be sim-sim plisticplistic to say Costa’s gone off the boboil just because he’s not scoring.

“His form and work-ratera is the most importantimporta

thing for Chelsea in the run-in, not so much how many times he finds the net. Eden Hazard will score. Pedro, Willian, the centrebacks, too. So if it’s not Diego, it won’t be a concern. I will be more worried if he gets injured — that will be a major blow for Chelsea. It’s not a case of should anyone take Diego’s place — Chelsea need him there.”

They need him at his best tonight.

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