Can Chelsea catch Manchester City? Conte ´realistic´ on title race

Antonio Conte says Chelsea must be "realistic" over their chances in the Premier League title race.

The Premier League champions deservedly won 1-0 at Bournemouth courtesy of a second-half strike from Eden Hazard, enough to move them back into fourth position.

But free-scoring leaders Manchester City also won on Saturday – beating West Brom 3-2 at the Hawthorns – ensuring they remain nine points clear of Conte's men, having made the best-ever start to a Premier League season after 10 games.

And Conte is reluctant to make any bold proclamations over Chelsea's title hopes after their comparatively slow start to the season, which included a home loss to City.

"At this moment we must be realistic by going game by game," Conte said at his post-match media conference.

"We have 19 points and we deserve to have 19 points.

"We are first in our group in the Champions League. We went into the next round of the Carabao Cup after going out in the second round last season.

"I'm very happy with this group. There are players who are very honest, players who want to fight until the end for something important.

"Are we able to do this? I don't know. But we will try to stay there.

"I know very well that, in England in this league, there are six top teams, very strong. Four go into the Champions League. Two have to stay out and play Europa League. Last season we saw this. It was very, very, very difficult.