Diego Costa’s 10th goal of the season moved Chelsea top of the Premier League as their sixth straight win saw off Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
After an even start, Chelsea upped the tempo and deservedly led at the break when Costa reacted quickest to drill in a loose ball inside the Boro box.
The Blues continued to create chances, Pedro going closest when he smacked a rising drive against the crossbar.
Boro’s best chance came when Alvaro Negredo’s 78th-minute volley was saved.
It was the only time the home side forced Blues keeper Thibaut Courtois into a serious stop as they lost for the first time in four matches.
Chelsea leapfrogged Liverpool and Manchester City to go a point clear, while Boro remain one point above the relegation zone in 15th place.
Following the arrival of former Juventus and Italy coach Conte, many expected to see a defensively-focused approach adopted by the Blues.
However, they were porous in the opening two months of the season, culminating in the chastening 3-0 defeat at Arsenal on 24 September.
Since then, the Blues have been impregnable in the Premier League.
Now back-to-back matches against Tottenham and Manchester City will be another measure of their recent improvement.
Conte made a tactical tweak to a 3-4-3 formation for their next game at Hull – and they have won all six league matches since without conceding a goal.
Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso have been revelatory in their adopted wing-back roles, while Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta have looked assured in a back three.
It has proved to be a masterstroke by Conte. And it has helped the Blues move top of the table for the first time since they were crowned champions in May 2015.
Chelsea are also looking at former midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who is currently managing Italian club…
City have hit form at the right time and are looking in ominous mood, clawing…
McFarlane’s move into senior management came earlier this season following the exit of Enzo Maresca....
"Liam has always conducted himself with the highest integrity and professionalism following...
The workshop highlights the growing efforts by regional and continental football bodies to accelerate the…
His comments followed a performance in which Chelsea struggled to impose themselves....
This website uses cookies.