Conte sets title target to shake dogged Spurs

LONDON - Chelsea needs six victories - 18 more points - to win the Premier League title, manager Antonio Conte told his players after Wednesday's 2-1 win over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's lead was cut to seven points after it lost 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace last weekend, but it preserved its advantage over Tottenham Hotspur by seeing off City.

Spurs will end the season with 89 points if they win their last eight games and Conte said his side must win six of its remaining matches - which would take it to 90 points - to be sure of the title.

"I like to say only the winner writes history," he said.

"I have intelligent players. When there is the possibility to send some message, I think these players don't need this message.

"They know very well the situation. The only message I send them is that we must think Tottenham could win eight games.

"For this reason, we must be focused and try to win six games. If we can do this, we will win the title. Otherwise, it will be a good season, but not a great season."

Tottenham came from behind to win 3-1 at Swansea City, so Chelsea's lead would have been cut to four points if it had lost to Manchester City.

It took a 10th-minute lead when Eden Hazard scored via a deflection off his Belgium teammate Vincent Kompany, who made his first City start since January.

A wayward clearance by home goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois - another Belgium international - enabled Sergio Aguero to level for City in the 26th minute.

But Fernandinho's trip on Pedro gave Hazard a chance to restore Chelsea's lead from the spot 10 minutes before the break, which he took at the second attempt after Willy Caballero saved his penalty.

Hazard now has 13 goals in all competitions.

"He's an important player<' said Conte. "He's growing in his mentality and I think he's having a really good season."

Chelsea became the first team to secure home-and-away wins in the same campaign against a side managed by Pep Guardiola, who has lost six top-flight games for the first time in his coaching career.

Pep talk

City remains fourth, 14 points below Chelsea, and with Arsenal and Manchester United hot on its heels - both four points behind with a game in hand - Guardiola knows his side faces a scrap for a top-four finish.

"Today the Premier League has gone," Guardiola said.

"We have to think about the last seven or eight games left to get into the Champions League."

Despite the result, Guardiola professed himself "honored" to be in charge of City's players and said quality "in the box" was the only difference between the teams.

And in a possible dig at Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, who played with six at the back against Chelsea in the FA Cup last month, Guardiola hailed City's positivity.

"I'm a lucky guy to be the manager of this club and especially these players," said the Catalan, whose side drew 2-2 at Arsenal last Sunday.

"We played with huge personality and not waiting. I saw many teams play here with six at the back.

"I like to convince our players to play in that way. You can win, you can lose. I will continue to the last day.

"When I'm a spectator, I can see when one team is afraid, just waiting for one action to win the game.

"I don't like to be reactive. I like my teams to be proactive. I like to have the main role in the game.

"Our performance was 1,000 miles better than the Arsenal game. Much, much better.

"I would have liked to take points, one or three, to be there. But it was not possible. Hopefully next season we'll be stronger."

Agence France-Presse