Chelsea sits pretty as Conte gets revenge over Arsenal
On Saturday, from the moment Marcus Alonso scored the opening goal after 13 minutes, there was only going to be one winner.
For all Conte’s insistence that the title race is far from over, it is going to take a monumental drop in form by Chelsea for a rival to have a serious chance.
Sixteen wins in 18 games since that Arsenal defeat is emblematic of just how Conte has got to grips with English football.
Like former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, Conte has a reputation as a strong disciplinarian who drills his team hard.
The Midas touch he brought to Juventus, where he won three consecutive Serie A titles, has been transferred to west London.
Tottenham consolidated second place with a 1-0 home win over Middlesbrough in the evening game but with fourth-placed Liverpool losing 2-0 at Hull, Chelsea is sitting pretty.
Harry Kane’s second-half penalty proved decisive for Spurs.
Middlesbrough, in 15th place but only one point above the relegation zone, wasted a chance to grab a draw in stoppage time as Alvaro Negredo volleyed wide.
Liverpool’s hopes of making a Premier League title challenge appear over after its poor run continued with defeat at relegation-threatened Hull.
Sunderland left its former manager Sam Allardyce stunned by routing Crystal Palace in this battle of two sides fighting to avoid relegation.
Allardyce, struggling to make an impact with Palace, looked on aghast as his side was taken apart as Jermain Defoe scored twice with all the goals coming in a one-sided first half at Selhurst Park.
The home side were booed off at the break and one fan was arrested after invading the pitch in an apparent attempt to confront Palace defender Damien Delaney, who did not reappear for the second half.
James Morrison’s third goal in five Premier League games earned the Baggies a deserved victory to leave it eighth in the standings and eyeing a push for a Europa League place.
Burnley had Jeff Hendrick sent off early on as its dreadful away form in the Premier League continued.