The English crown returned to west London last night after Chelsea earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion. The Baggies had held a tight backline for much of the game, but a late goal from Michy Batshuayi ensured that the Blues would celebrate their league success.
When Antonio Conte first arrived at Stamford Bridge, many doubted that he would be able to lift the morale of a side which had finished 10th in the league last term.
However, some shrewd signings which included the likes of David Luiz, Marcos Alonso and the ever-impressive N’Golo Kante managed to add a fresh belief at the four-time Premier League champions.
Conte’s team had an early season stumble when they lost out to Liverpool and Arsenal in back-to-back games, and this triggered the manager’s decision to switch to the 3-4-3 formation.
The Blues had therein continued their brilliant run through a year, and only Tottenham Hotspur appeared to have any answer to Conte’s quest for a maiden English title.
Defeats to Crystal Palace and Manchester United last month appeared to present a minor stumble in the Blues’ title hunt, but this was soon put to an end as Spurs screwed up their hopes once again with an away defeat at West Ham United.
The game at the Hawthorns has always been a tight contest for any opposition club, and Tony Pulis’ side stood firm for much of the game before Batshuayi netted a season-defining goal.
Bizarely, Batshuayi had amassed just 135 minutes of league action all season, but he managed to prove his worth by netting the all-important goal in the 82nd minute to guarantee his side three points and the Premier League title.
Chelsea will now shift their focus towards the FA Cup final against London rivals Arsenal later this month with Conte hoping to clinch a domestic double in his first season in English management.
Image – Getty
