Conte: Chelsea will continue 'very difficult' fight for Champions League

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London, April 2: Antonio Conte blamed a loss of confidence for Chelsea's 3-1 defeat to Tottenham but assured they will continue to fight for a place in the Champions League.

Chelsea are eight points behind Tottenham in the race for the top four after Spurs came from behind to claim a first win at Stamford Bridge since 1990.

Alvaro Morata pounced on an error from Hugo Lloris to give Chelsea the lead, only for a wondrous long-range strike from Christian Eriksen to level matters on the stroke of half-time.

Dele Alli then scored twice in five minutes after the restart to end Tottenham's long hoodoo in west London and pile the pressure on Conte, whose Chelsea future appears in serious doubt.

"Our first half was really good. If the first half finished 2-0 I think it is more fair than to go 1-1," Conte told Sky Sports.

"In the second half I think we started well then we conceded the second goal, we lost the confidence.

"It was very difficult to come back, it's a pity because we knew we had the chance to try to reduce the gap with Tottenham.

"Now the situation is very difficult to take a place in Champions League for next season.

"I think in this season in many games we created many chances but we didn't score. I think last season we were more clinical. In this game I saw Tottenham do this, they exploited every chance they had.

"You have to try until the end to catch a place in Champions League, in this case Tottenham and Liverpool, you have to try until the end to get three points in every game and see what happens."

Source: OPTA