Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has admitted that he is "worried" that the club might not finish in the top four this season following their 3-0 humiliation at home to Bournemouth last night.
Second-half goals from Callum Wilson, Junior Stanislas and Nathan Ake handed the Cherries a surprise victory from their trip to Stamford Bridge in what was the Blues' joint-worst defeat of the Conte era.
The result saw Chelsea slip behind Liverpool to fourth in the Premier League table on goal difference, with Tottenham Hotspur just two points further back.
Asked if his side's top-four chances had taken a knock, Conte told reporters at his post-match press conference: "Yes, yes. We must be worried. We must be worried. It won't be easy. But this is normal. I'm maybe repeating myself from the start of the season.
"It won't be easy this season, and we have to fight. We must be prepared to fight and ready to do this. I'm ready. I think the players are starting to understand that this season we have to struggle for a position in the Champions League.
"But I think the players, until now, are great. Are very, very top. For their commitment and their behaviours. If they hadn't done that, our place in the table would be worse.
"We have to understand that, if we want to speak about football and if we think to understand football we know very well this will be very difficult for us. If we want only to dream and not see the reality – in this case, I can tell you now we can fight to win the title this season.
"It will be very important to look at the reality and to know that, if we are able to reach a place in the Champions League, it will be a great success for us. Otherwise we have a normal season."
Conte also claimed that he is "very relaxed" about his own position at the club and insisted that he is "doing a great job".
Neil Wilkes
