Chelsea manager Antonio Conte believes his side deserved at least a point in their 2-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
Conte’s side suffered a blow to their top-four aspirations as they surrendered a 1-0 lead by Willian to lose 2-1 following goals from Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard.
The defeat saw Chelsea drop to fifth on 53 points, two points adrift of the fourth spot.
In his post-match reaction, Conte said the defeat to United could make their top-four ambitions more difficult.
“I think a draw was the fair result for this game. But we are talking about a defeat and that’s all,” Conte said before talking about Alvaro Morata’s late disallowed ‘goal’.
“I must be honest, I didn’t see the situation, but if you’re telling me Alvaro Morata wasn’t offside, I think VAR is very important, especially in England. There are a lot of moments in the game where there are things to super-check.
“We had to be more clinical, instead we kept the game open, and the opponent made us pay. Manchester United are a great team, and we must be disappointed, because I repeat today, we could have done better.
“We know there is a battle [for the top four] and it will be difficult to find a place in the Champions League.”
The former Juventus boss also blamed luck as one of the reasons Chelsea are struggling this season.
He added: “We had a great chance to get a good result against Manchester United, but instead we talk about a defeat.
“You must be the best team at the end of the game, not just in the first half. We had a great chance to take three points here. Now we have to start to work this season as the league is very difficult and we need to fight for a place in the Champions League. I hope the players realise this soon.
“Luck is important for every team, but this season we have not been so lucky. It is disappointing after this performance to finish with a defeat.
Conte Claims “Unlucky” Chelsea Deserved Draw Vs United, Fears For Top Four Place
