Both Steven Gerrard and current Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp, praised Chelsea and Antonio Conte following their victory over Manchester City.
Chelsea have been so dominant this season that even a Liverpool duo have moved to praise the club. Steven Gerrard and Jurgen Klopp both passed on their complements to the Blues after they bounced back and defeated Manchester City to maintain their seven point lead.
Speaking as part of the coverage on BT Sport, Gerrard singled out Antonio Conte for praise. The former Reds midfielder was impressed by the Italian’s tactics on Wednesday night.
"He stiffened it up and managed the gameand Chelsea saw it out. That’s down to his tactical genius.He spots things quickly, acts quickly and that’s what got them over the line. – via Metro"
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Conte made an intriguing move at halftime that eventually turned out well for the Blues. After Pedro’s disastrous outing at right wingback against Palace, Kurt Zouma came in and pushed Cesar Azpilicueta out to the spot.
However, Conte then removed Zouma midway through the City clash, bringing on Nemanja Matic and dropping Pedro back in. While the Spaniard was no more convincing in the defensive role, Matic’s presence helped break up the opposition’s play. The switch was vital in ensuring that the Blues saw out the game.
Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, was a picture of frustration after Liverpool drew with Bournemouth. The Reds overturned a 1-0 deficit, before succumbing to a late Joshua King equaliser. Klopp’s men continue to disappoint when it matters most – the opposite of Chelsea.
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In his press conference, he pointed to the Blues as an example of a team that closes out matches.
"Probably [if it was] Chelsea, for example, the opponent would not have the ball three times in the last 20 minutes I think.Yes, we don’t have this experience. Probably you need things like last night to get more experience than this, even though [the result] was not that good. – via Sky Sports"
Chelsea have indeed been fantastic at putting teams away throughout their ascent to the top. Whether it be by scoring enough to put the game out of reach, maintaining possession as the clock winds down, or defending resolutely against a late onslaught, the Blues know how to secure that win.
If Liverpool had the same level of efficiency, they would certainly be up there neck and neck with Conte’s men.
However, they do not and Chelsea can almost touch the trophy. As long as they show the same focus over the next month or so, the title is a formality.