Chelsea manager Antonio Conte hopes his side can benefit from any lessening of intensity in Liverpool’s play after their Champions League semifinal triumph when they face the Reds in the Premier League on Sunday.
Liverpool lost 4-2 to Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday but still went through 7-6 on aggregate as they booked their place in a final against holders Real Madrid.
Chelsea are in pursuit of a Champions League spot for next season — they are six points behind third-placed Liverpool with a game in hand heading into this weekend’s clash at Stamford Bridge.
“This could be a good opportunity for us,” Conte said.
“As I said a lot of times in the last three games, if we want to keep the hope alive we have to win. We have to get three points.
“Liverpool are a good team. It won’t be easy, but if we want to keep alive the hope, we have to try to win, to get three points on Sunday.”
Tottenham sit fourth, five points clear of Chelsea, but with Spurs still to play games against West Brom, Newcastle and Leicester, it is Liverpool in Conte’s sights.
The Merseysiders could be denied Champions League football next season by a combination of finishing outside the top four and losing to Real in the final.
If Conte’s deposed champions win their remaining three fixtures they will, at worst, finish level on points with Jurgen Klopp’s side, although Liverpool’s far superior goal difference means just a point on Sunday or victory against Brighton on the final day of the season should suffice.
Meanwhile Conte, who expects to have a fully fit squad for the match at Stamford Bridge, refused to comment about Manchester United forward Anthony Martial, amid reports the striker wants to leave Old Trafford.
“I think this is not the right moment to speak about this. I don’t like to talk about players of other teams,” said Conte.
“It’s disrespectful for the other players, for my players, for the other clubs.”
The Italian added: “I think now our target, our focus is to finish in the best possible way, to try to fight for a place in the Champions League. It won’t be easy. The situation is not in our hands.
“But we have to try and start with three points against Liverpool. Then we’ll see what happens.
“We have another final in the FA Cup. For sure we want to give satisfaction to our fans. It won’t be easy against Manchester United, but we want to try to do our best until the end.”
Antonio Conte hopes for lackluster Liverpool in Stamford Bridge battle
Antonio Conte hopes for lackluster Liverpool in Stamford Bridge battle
- Chelsea need points in push for top-four spot.
- Liverpool just back from Rome after Champions League heroics.
Guardiola hails Man City’s ‘massive’ win over Newcastle
- Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Pep Guardiola labelled Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday as a “massive” moment in the Premier League title race.
Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Nico O’Reilly put City ahead in the first half and restored the lead before half-time after Lewis Hall had equalized.
City weren’t at their best in the second half, but they held on to pile pressure on spluttering Arsenal, who travel to Tottenham for the north London derby on Sunday.
Guardiola knew it was essential to make Arsenal sweat.
“Massive. Newcastle is an incredible team, awesome in physicality and speed they have up front. Physicality in the middle. Really tough but the team was unbelievable,” he said.
“It’s coming in best part of the season. Every single game will be similar to today.”
After finishing without a trophy last season, City are back in the hunt for the seventh English title of Guardiola’s reign.
They will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend and are guaranteed to win the title if they win their last 11 league matches.
Guardiola has embarked on an expensive overhaul of City’s squad in the last 12 months, shedding aging stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson and Kyle Walker and bringing in the likes of Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki.
The Spaniard is well aware that his new generation largely lacks the experience of winning under the pressure of a title race, which made their gritty success against Newcastle even more meaningful.
“70 percent of the players have never been in that situation, and I don’t play. So we have to live it, they know that every game will be like this,” he said.
“Especially at home, with five home games left. Today was the best crowd of the year, it was unbelievable with our people, really proud to be manager of these incredible people and fans.
“Of course in terms of points it’s important, but we have to improve to have chance to compete until the end. Now we deserve three more days off. Then another battle in Leeds.”
Guardiola singled out O’Reilly for praise after the young England midfielder’s pair of clinical finishes showed he won’t be affected by the strain of chasing Arsenal.
“Nico give us in the middle that physicality that we need. He now plays in his position,” he said.
“He has always played that, he is so complete and so young. I am really pleased the academy produced these incredible players, Nico, Phil (Foden), Rico (Lewis).”
