Chelsea

Is there a Premier League title race? Antonio Conte says it's 'more interesting' following Chelsea loss

Published Apr. 1, 2017 3:46 p.m. ET

Alex Dowd

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte conceded that the Premier League title race became "more interesting" following his side's stunning 2-1 loss vs. Crystal Palace.

The Blues entered the match with a 10-point cushion on their nearest rivals, but a spirited Palace performance saw that lead slip. An early goal from Chelsea indicated the title-favorites would retain their advantage until the Eagles turned the tables.

Some haphazard Chelsea defending opened the door for the opportunistic Palace to seize a 2-1 lead. They wouldn't relinquish their lead despite the Blues peppering shots at their goal and the Blues saw their 13-match home winning streak improbably snapped.

With Spurs toppling Burnley, Chelsea's buffer at the top of the table now sits at 7 points. While disheartened his side couldn't rescue at least a point, Conte acknowledged the turn of events spices up the title race.

"It makes things more interesting in the championship, but I always said that the league finishes when you have the mathematical total you need," he said. "Otherwise you must fight, you must play every game to try to win, because in England easy games don't exist."

It's true, easy games don't exist, but Chelsea will rue their performance against a side that was in the relegation zone at the end of February. The bad news for Chelsea is that much more difficult competition looms midweek as Manchester City visit Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

If the Blues fall at home again, then the chase will really get interesting.

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