Following a season of suffering last time round and some troubles to begin the season, Chelsea can again be called as one of the favourites for the Premier League title. And the form of their Spanish forward Diego Costa has played a vital part in pulling the Blues into contention after having won all five of their last five league fixtures.
The striker currently leads the goalscoring charts in the league with 9 goals in 11 games for the Londoners. And his contribtion garnered much praise from his manager Antonio COnte who has hailed him as an “example for all”.
"He's an example for all," Conte told British media. "If he continues to score, I'll be very happy. But I'll be happier to see this commitment, this work rate during training and in games.
"It's fantastic, I think, that Diego is improving a lot in a lot of aspects. For me, now, Diego is one of the best strikers in the world. He must continue that, working in this way, with his commitment and work rate."
The ex-Atletico Madrid star withdrew from the Spain squad during the international break owing to an injury to his groyne. However, the Italian manager is positive that Costa will be fit for Chelsea’s upcoming game on Sunday against Middlesbrough. Praising him further, Conte stated that Costa’s workrate is something that inspires not only him but the team as well.
"Diego is a very good player," said the former Juventus manager. "It's important for me, for his teammates, to see that in every game, Diego works a lot with the ball and without the ball.”
Costa has also showed greater discipline on the field. After picking up four yellows in the first six games, the 27-year-old hasn’t picked up any in the last five games. However, the Spaniard would do well be on the cautious side as any more bookings before 31st December would see hime see him suspended for a game.
Conte got off to a rough start at the helm of the West London side after winning only three of their first six games. However with the defensive reshuffle and players like Eden Hazard and Diego Costa finding their touch back, the Blues look supremely confident heading into their weekend fixture.
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