Conte ‘feels no pressure’ over Chelsea axe

Ian Watson

Antonio Conte insists he is not feeling the pressure after Chelsea fought back to snatch a thrilling 4-2 win over Watford.

Michy Batshuayi came off the bench to score twice at Stamford Bridge as the champions came from 2-1 down to secure their first win in four matches.

Chelsea looked on course for a third straight Premier League defeat when Abdoulaye Doucoure and Roberto Pereyra overturned Pedro’s early long-range strike.

But Batshuayi levelled with 19 minutes left before Cesar Azpilicueta’s 87th-minute header put Chelsea in front. Batshuayi added his second, and Chelsea’s fourth, in stoppage time.

The last time Chelsea endured three consecutive league losses was in November 2015 and then-manager Jose Mourinho was sacked a month later. Conte, however, is not worried.

“I must be honest. I feel a lot of pressure but not this type of pressure – if the club decide to sack me,” Conte said.

“Honestly I will never be worried for this. Never. The pressure is I want for my players and to give satisfaction for my fans. I feel this type of pressure.

“When I go to my house I am happy because I know I am putting 150 per cent for my club and my players are doing the same.”

Batshuayi has struggled to convince since joining Chelsea in July 2016 but the 24-year-old made the difference in the second half. He was also our early winner of the week.

“Don’t forget Michy is a young player. For him this is the first big experience with a great team,” Conte said.

“Today the impact was incredible and important, it must continue in this way – work, work, work, to have the passion to improve and understand he has to wait for his moment and then when he has the chance to show he has improved.”

Chelsea now face Everton at home in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before travelling to struggling Bournemouth in the league next weekend.

“The confidence is not high for the players. I think to overcome this type of moment, it makes you stronger,” Conte said.

“I think today when we were at 2-1 down it was a very difficult moment. Maybe the worst moment for us. To come back it was important.

“It means these players have great heart, a great desire to not accept these situations.”

Watford will feel this was an opportunity missed.

They were unfortunate given Pedro’s opener came from a corner that should not have been given but they were also wasteful, Richarlison missing an excellent chance in the 54th minute to make it 3-1.

“It’s a really unfair result. I think we didn’t deserve the result, even if we took only one point I think it is not fair to us,” Silva said.

“A third goal would have killed the match and given us more chance to control in a different way.

“When you start to lose big chances to score it’s normal Chelsea, with fantastic players, start to believe.

“Then the fresh players in the pitch like Willian, Batshuayi – in one moment they can make the difference. It was a really unfair result.”

On the decision to award Chelsea’s corner before Pedro’s goal, Silva added: “Of course everyone knows it was not a corner. That’s football. It’s unfair.”