‘Underdog’ Chelsea seek to silence doubters as Special One awaits

Chelsea 3 Bournemouth 1: Antonio Conte believes his team were title underdogs at the start of the season, damaged by a divisive and explosive year under Jose Mourinho in which they finished 10th and their manager was sacked, but it is pretty clear now that Chelsea will face the Special One at Old Trafford next weekend as champions-elect.

Saturday’s victory, highly professional and surprisingly nerveless despite the extra pressure of watching Spurs win 4-0 earlier in the day, underlined just how far Chelsea have come since Conte arrived with a brief to reunite and reinvigorate a squad still feeling the scars of a highly unpleasant episode in the club’s history.

Chelsea go to Old Trafford on Saturday seven points clear in the Premier League, and with only seven games to go it’s almost impossible to envisage them failing to finish the campaign as champions.