Chelsea’s top four bid suffer blow

LONDON, May 10 — Antonio Conte admitted Chelsea had only themselves to blame after their bid to qualify for the Champions League suffered a hammer blow as Huddersfield secured their Premier League survival with a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge yesterday.

Conte’s side fell behind to Laurent Depoitre’s second half strike and although w88 malaysia Marcos Alonso bagged a fortuitous equaliser, the Blues couldn’t find a priceless winner as they wasted a host of chances. Fifth placed Chelsea’s attempt to salvage a troubled season by finishing in the top four is now out of their hands heading into the final game of the season at Newcastle on Sunday.

“For sure we had so many chances and you must be good to take them. It is not the first time that we are not clinical,” Conte moaned. “It is not a situation only for the strikers, but the whole team. “Every team deserves the points they have in the table. We dropped many girls pics points. We are fifth and we must accept this.” Tottenham’s 1-0 win over Newcastle yesterday means Chelsea can’t make up the four-point gap to their third placed London rivals.

Fourth placed Liverpool are two points ahead of m88asia Chelsea and, given their vastly superior goal difference, they will condemn the Blues to the Europa League next season if they avoid defeat against Brighton at Anfield on Sunday. “I’m realistic. This situation wasn’t in our hands before this game and for sure the chances are less than before today. We have to try to do our best,” Conte said.

Missing out on the Champions League would be a suitably downbeat conclusion to a lacklustre title defence from Chelsea and could prove the last straw for Blues owner Roman Abramovich as he reportedly plans to part ways with Conte. Conte appears set to leave after m88 sports just two years in charge following a contentious campaign marred by the Italian’s feud with the Chelsea hierarchy over their failure to back his transfer plans.

The 48-year-old has seen a host of leading managers linked with his job in recent weeks and added fuel to the fire this week when he said his future would be revealed after the FA Cup final against Manchester United on May 19. “This is not my task, there is a club to judge the situation and then to take the best decision,” Conte said when asked if he would be in charge next term. Huddersfield’s reward for a tenacious display is another season among English football’s elite after a superb result that seals their safety with a game in spare.