Conte wants Chelsea’s great season to become “fantastic”

“It was a good win”, Conte said.

What’s more, they showed that the strategy Jose Mourinho employed against them at Old Trafford – deputising a midfielder to man-mark Eden Hazard – is not a fool-proof method. The third goal was that high quality offensive football.

“We’ve definitely made a lot of progress this season”, the Daily Star quotes Baines as saying. Now it is important to prepare the final rush. Now there are four games to go and every win is a great win.

Everton caused Chelsea some problems before Pedro opened the scoring with a stunning strike on 66 minutes. “To win 3-0 is fantastic”, Cahill said.

“Everyone, including Diego Costa, was on their best behaviour – determined to finish the game with 11 players and give Everton fans nothing to shout about”.

“We knew how big the three points would be”.

Victory over their greatest rivals Arsenal to follow a late success at Crystal Palace in midweek means a 10th straight league win in a row would put pressure on Londoners Chelsea. Dele Alli seized possession and passed to Christian Eriksen, who weaved past Laurent Koscielny before striking at goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Chelsea need nine points to be assured of being crowned English champions in Conte’s first season in charge, but less will do it if Spurs falter.

Manchester City and Manchester United both dropped points in the race for the top four and a Champions League place next season.

Callum Chambers had Middlesbrough leading once again soon after, before Gabriel Jesus rescued a draw for City on 84 minutes, with a powerful header to the bottom corner. We felt we needed to go to the next level in the second half.

It’s grim times, though, for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal, which last finished below Tottenham in 1995 ahead of the manager’s arrival the following year.

Chelsea will host Middlesbrough next week’s Monday, a side who are fighting at the other end of the table against relegation to the Championship.

“Also at this part of the season, sometimes it’s important to try to play even if your condition is not 100 per cent. David is showing us great commitment this season”.

Marcus Rashford won a penalty just before half-time and Wayne Rooney converted but Sigurdsson bent the ball home in the 79th minute.