Chelsea´s Antonio Conte backing Eden Hazard to put team first

Nemanja Matic scored one of the best goals ever seen at Wembley during Chelsea‘s FA Cup semi-final victory over Tottenham on Saturday. I prefer to lose a game than have selfish players.

“We have to play in two days and a half against a team who can rest for 10 days”.

“The first target for every great champion is to play for the team and to put your talent into the team”, he said. I think this week is crucial for us.

“I think that now at Chelsea we are in a period of transition”, the Chelsea head coach said. I don’t want this, I can’t accept this.

Finally, Murphy explained why prolific England worldwide Harry Kane would command a place in Antonio Conte’s side at the expense of Diego Costa.

Chelsea’s lead has been slashed to four points by Tottenham with six games remaining but Conte is still in contention for a double in his first season in charge of the west London club.

Spending £30 million (Sky Sports) on a player who was coming off the back of a disappointing season for Newcastle looked like a lazy, unwise decision at the time and that’s what it has proved to be.

“But their reaction was good, for me the reaction was normal”.

“Instead, Tottenham has to play on Wednesday – one day more to rest against Crystal Palace that didn’t play today, they have to play tomorrow”.

Asked about the impact of the FA Cup loss on the league, where Chelsea lead Spurs by four points, Dier told Sky Sports: “It’s kind of irrelevant”.

“We dominated the game but they were more clinical than us”.

Chelsea appeals that the Tottenham goalkeeper handled outside the box were ignored as half-time approached – and seven minutes after the restart Spurs again drew level.

United face Spain’s Celta Vigo in the semi-finals and the Portuguese said: “We can not give the club the Premier League, we have a 25 per cent chance to win the Europa League and we have to put everything on it”.

“If it’s 2-2 at the end, you say, “Okay”.

Play was now slower and far more edgy and the ever-impressive Hazard punctured Spurs’ hopes in the 75th minute.

Dele Alli netted a second equaliser after the break as well as a Chelsea defence featuring Nathan Ake – making his first appearance against top flight resistance after returning from a loan spell at Bournemouth in January – were made to stand firm under continual pressure. In a game that featured Tottenham’s progressive play against Chelsea’s rapid counterattack, manager Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs were always in the contest and equalised soon after when Harry Kane nodded home a Christian Eriksen cross.

Middlesbrough is without a win in 16 Premier League games, a run stretching back to December 17, and appears set for an immediate return to the Championship.