Expectations different at Chelsea and Spurs, says Conte
(Reuters) - Winning is normal for a club of Chelsea's stature but that is not necessarily the case at Premier League title rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Blues manager Antonio Conte has said.
Leaders Chelsea appeared to be running away with the title but Saturday's unexpected home loss to Crystal Palace loosened their grip at the top of the table as second-placed Tottenham cut their lead to seven points with nine games remaining.
"I think the difference between Chelsea and Tottenham is this: if you stay in Chelsea and win, it's normal," Conte told British media. "If you stay in Tottenham, if you win, it's great but, if you lose... it's not a disaster, no? Not a disaster."
During his time as a player Conte was part of a Juventus side which let a seven-point lead slip over the last six games as Lazio narrowly edged out their Serie A rivals to win the title in the 1999-2000 season.
Conte, who has previously admitted his outlook on management has been influenced by those painful memories, said he will not be taking anything for granted until the end of the season.
"It's true, I didn't sleep for a week after that but these experiences are very important. For this reason I try to keep the concentration from the start until the end," the Italian added. "Anything can happen."
Chelsea host fourth-placed Manchester City on Wednesday, while Tottenham travel to relegation-threatened Swansea City.
(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru)