Conte confounded by another cracking shift from Kante

LONDON - Chelsea manager Antonio Conte joked he is struggling to find ways to improve N'Golo Kante after the France midfielder starred in the Blues' 2-1 win at West Ham United on Monday.

Kante's interception led to Eden Hazard's 25th-minute opener at London Stadium, and the tireless 25-year-old harried his opponent from first minute to last.

Asked to sum up Kante's display, Conte "complained" the former Leicester City midfielder had only completed 45 of the 50 passes he had attempted.

The manager then burst out laughing.

"I know he made 50 passes and he made five mistakes. He has to improve on this," said Conte, whose squad re-established its 10-point lead atop the Premier League.

"I'm joking, yes. I have to find one situation to tell him to improve. He's playing very well. N'Golo is a really good player.

"He has great stamina, but also good quality. We are working to improve the quality. I'm pleased for him, but I think all my players played very well."

Hazard put Chelsea ahead in the London derby midway through the first half, coolly finishing off a razor-sharp break involving Pedro that started when Robert Snodgrass gifted the ball to Kante.

Diego Costa added a second goal early in the second half, kneeing in from close range after Cesc Fabregas' corner flicked off Hammers midfielder Pedro Obiang's head at the near post.

But the Blues did not have things all their own way and had to weather sustained pressure from the host for periods of the second half.

Chelsea saw Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City chip away at its lead over the weekend, and Conte said its display against the Hammers showed its mental fortitude.

"I think this period is tough because although there are only 11 games, for me 11 games are a lot," said the Italian, a three-time Serie A champion as a manager of Juventus.

"Now in this period it's very important to live the pressure in the right way. Above all when you play the game after you know your opponents won the day before.

"I'm pleased for the commitment, for the right mentality of my players. Very focused.

"They showed me great will to win and to suffer in the first part of the first half, but stay compact because we didn't concede great chances for West Ham to score."

Asked if he had faith in his players not to blow their lead, Conte replied: "I trust them absolutely."

The manager's lone criticism of his side was that it had not been "more clinical", with the visitor's failure to take more of its chances giving West Ham hope of mounting a comeback right until the end.

'Too late'

The home side eventually halved the deficit in stoppage time when Manuel Lanzini arrowed a shot into the bottom-left corner following a surge to the edge of the box by substitute Andre Ayew.

But West Ham boss Slaven Bilic, whose side remains in 11th spot, said it was too little too late.

"Statistically it looks good. The game looks even," said Bilic.

"But every attack after 2-0, they looked really dangerous. They deserved to win.

"If we had scored in the 61st or 62nd minute, when we had pressure on them, maybe things would have been different."

And Bilic is convinced the fans in attendance witnessed the eventual champion.

"They look very serious and I can see them staying on top with the quality they have and also how solid and concentrated they are," he said.

"Most of all how physically in good shape they are. From all the teams, Chelsea looks the most solid.

"They're 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League for a reason."

Agence France-Presse