Downbeat Conte admits title fears

Antonio Conte could never be accused of overhyping Chelsea’s chances of retaining their Premier League title, but the manager’s reaction to Saturday’s defeat at Crystal Palace only underlined the scale of the task confronting the defending champions.

The Italian has offered a downbeat tone since before the start of the campaign when he struggled to disguise his frustration at the club’s limited involvement in the transfer market, a situation compounded by the impasse over Diego Costa.

The additional burden of European football meant this was always going to be a more testing season for a squad that lacks the depth of some rivals and the evidence provided by Saturday’s display at Selhurst Park confirmed such concerns are not misplaced.