bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Agence France-Presse

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said his side were “another little step” from the Premier League title after they crushed Middlesbrough 3-0 to move to within touching distance of glory.
Tottenham Hotspur’s surprise defeat at West Ham United last week handed Chelsea the initiative and they can now seal a second title triumph in three years if they win at West Bromwich Albion on Friday.
“We’re very close. We must be honest. But we need to do another little step and win another game,” Conte told reporters after Monday’s match, which condemned Middlesbrough to relegation.
“For sure now I’m a bit relaxed. This step was big for us, a big win.
“Now we need to do another step. We have the possibility to do this on Friday against West Brom.
“For sure it won’t be easy, because West Brom is a really good team, a physical team, and we must pay great attention.
“We are very close, but we need another step to become champions of the Premier League, which would be a fantastic achievement for us.”
While victory at West Brom will deliver the title, Chelsea also have home games against Watford and Sunderland in which to snare the three points they need to make it across the finish line.
Cesc Fabregas was Chelsea’s match-winner, inventively creating goals for Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic either side of half-time at a festive Stamford Bridge.
Marcos Alonso also found the net in the first half.
Fabregas began the season on the bench after new signing N’Golo Kante took his place, but he has played an increasingly prominent role in recent weeks.
“Cesc is one of the best examples of our season,” Conte said.
“Because in this season, Cesc at the start didn’t play a lot. And then through hard work, he improved a lot. And then he’s playing in every game.
“This development of Cesc is our development, because we started the season with a lot of problems. But through hard work, together we found the right way.
“Cesc is showing (himself) to be a fantastic player and I’m pleased for him. Because I saw in this season that he put himself in this team in every moment, if he played or didn’t play. Now he’s deserving this.”
After seeing off Spurs in FA Cup, Conte fears schedule could harm Chelsea’s hopes of doing same in Premier League
Needing victory to stand a realistic chance of preserving their top-flight status, Boro succumbed to a defeat that sent them into the Championship alongside northeast rivals Sunderland.
Conte made a point of saluting Boro’s travelling fans after the game.
“It’s great to see a team that got relegated and to see the fans clapping the players and the players staying there to receive the applause and to clap the fans,” said the Italian.
“It’s important to celebrate your win, but also to have great respect and clap this type of situation.
“Because I think this situation happens only in England. In Italy it’s very, very difficult to see a team getting relegated and the players receive (applause).”
Boro manager Steve Agnew said his dressing room was “devastated”.
Chelsea’s title chances ‘50 per cent’ after Manchester United defeat, says Antonio Conte
“We’ve worked so hard for a number of years to get back into the Premier League and we know how tough the Premier League is,” he said. “Obviously we’ve come up short.”
Agnew, who took over in a caretaker capacity after Aitor Karanka was sacked in March, would not be drawn on whether he would like the role on a permanent basis.
“I don’t think it’s about my situation. It’s about the football club,” he said.
“We all know it’s a Premier League football club in terms of everything about it – the supporters, the stadium, the training ground. The infrastructure is all there.
“So we have to finish the season strong. We have two games to go. We need to gain more points.
“And then everything moving forward will be towards getting Middlesbrough Football Club back into the Premier League as soon as possible.”


Premier League football fans feel the pinch from ticket price hikes as clubs target tourists

Premier League to branch out with new Singapore streaming service, could Hong Kong follow?

Hong Kong-born Daniel Bennie chasing Premier League dream with Championship club QPR

Man City, Juventus ‘exploring summer options’ over Hong Kong Football Festival

English Premier League

Chelsea one ‘little step’ from Premier League title, says Antonio Conte after mauling sends Middlesbrough down

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says his team are now just a small step from claiming the Premier League title in his first season in the job. Photo: EPA

Chelsea players celebrate the goal of Chelsea's Nemanja Matic during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Monday, May 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

epa05951521 Chelsea's Diego Costa (L) vies for the ball against Middlesbrough's George Friend (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea FC and Middlesborough FC at Stamford Bridge in London, Britain, 08 May 2017. EPA/WILL OLIVER EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' service. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

epa05951507 Chelsea players celebrate the 3-0 goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea FC and Middlesborough FC at Stamford Bridge in London, Britain, 08 May 2017. EPA/WILL OLIVER EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' service. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Britain Football Soccer - Chelsea v Middlesbrough - Premier League - Stamford Bridge - 8/5/17 Chelsea's Diego Costa scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Sport

Football

Italian says his side were ‘another little step’ from the title after crushing Teesiders 3-0 to move to within touching distance of glory


Chelsea one ‘little step’ from Premier League title, says Antonio Conte after mauling sends Middlesbrough down

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Italian says his side were ‘another little step’ from the title after crushing Teesiders 3-0 to move to within touching distance of glory

Italian says his side were ‘another little step’ from the title after crushing Teesiders 3-0 to move to within touching distance of glory