Chelsea
head coach Antonio Conte ignored Diego Costa's request to be substituted
against Leicester before telling the striker he is needed for the team.
Costa scored his seventh Premier League goal of the season as Chelsea beat
champions Leicester 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
The Spain striker is one yellow card away from suspension and appeared to
call for his own withdrawal midway through the second half. Had Costa been
booked he would have missed next Sunday's reunion with Jose Mourinho, when
Manchester United visit live on Sky Sports.
Conte insisted it was his choice alone not to take off Costa and downplayed
suggestions the striker was feeling his troublesome hamstrings.
"If I can, Costa I keep him [on the pitch] until the end," Conte said. "I
can take the risk about this, for a yellow card or for injury. I decide.
"He must understand for this team he is a player with a great personality
and if I can, I keep him on the pitch until the end in every game.
"I know I risked it, if he got another yellow card he would miss the game
against Manchester United. But for me, today is more important.
"Diego is in good shape. Costa is an important player to us. He has a good
personality. We need his passion in every moment of the game."
Conte on Friday laughed off suggestions he was about to be sacked after some
bookmakers suspended betting on his departure a day earlier.
And Chelsea's best performance of the season was the on-field response.
"I'm quite tranquilo. I'm very happy," said Conte, who dedicated the
performance to Willian and his family after the Brazil playmaker's mother
died during the week.
"When you work so hard during the week, it's logical you want to see a good
result, good play, a good game.
"I asked to start very well with the intensity. To try to do what we do
during training sessions and I'm very happy
"I saw this. I'm very happy, above all for my players."
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