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LONDON. – Antonio Conte believes his “blind faith” has transformed Chelsea from “an ugly duckling into a swan” after revealing he would “die true to his ideas”.Chelsea lead the English Premier League by nine points with 14 games remaining following Saturday’s 3-1 win over Arsenal.

The Blues have won 16 of 18 Premier League games since successive losses to Liverpool and at Arsenal in September prompted Conte to change to a 3-4-3 formation. Chelsea finished 10th in defence of the title last term, but are now runaway leaders once again.

“We drew with Swansea and then defeats against Liverpool and Arsenal were acceptable by Chelsea’s standards at the time – we need to compare it with the previous season, when Chelsea finished 10th, as we started off with roughly the same players and it’s not like all of a sudden you can transform from an ugly duckling into a swan,” Conte said.

“I’m not a coach who compromises and with my blind faith in the work we’re doing and in my ideas, I’ve been able to forge straight ahead without worrying about anyone else.

“In those moments I just kept believing in my work. I thought, ‘If I have to die, at least I will die true to my own ideas’.

“That’s why I was so strict in all senses and never looked for compromises – despite the fact that usually, when you arrive at a new club, you do try to find a balance between old and new – because I am not a coach who can work like that. I never accept compromises.”

After being anointed champions by Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger of Arsenal, Conte urged caution. But his relentless appetite for victory appears to be a warning for the rest of the Premier League.

Chelsea appear to have a favourable run of fixtures in the near future, against Burnley, Swansea, West Ham, Watford, Stoke and Crystal Palace before a home match with City.

He said: “My experiences as a player taught me that you will win a lot and lose a lot too and that instilled in me a fierce will to win.

‘‘Those who are out in front must not falter. It sends a message to those who are following, an increasingly loud message, that we must make the most of this period.

“Today when they talk about Chelsea as having already won the title I say, ‘Not yet’. We still have 14 games to go and plenty of work to do. There are no easy games in the Premier League, because this is a league where anything is possible.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante insists the race for the Premier League title is not done and dusted, even though the Blues hold a nine-point lead over nearest rivals Tottenham. Conte’s side moved a giant step closer to claiming the title with an impressive 3-1 win over rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Tottenham kept themselves within touch of the Blues with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Middlesbrough later that evening and Kante believes Spurs, along with a number of other clubs, still have a chance of pipping Chelsea to the post. — The Daily Express.