Courtois: We are ready to fight for Conte

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has insisted that he and his teammates are ready to fight for Antonio Conte.

Courtois told the Evening Standard that the Blues are doing all they can to prevent their manager from going in the same path as Jose Mourinho, with reports suggesting that Conte is under serious pressure at Stamford Bridge.

We are ready to fight for the coach. I remember what happened two years ago under Jose Mourinho and things started to be said, there were stories about the dressing room without knowing what was happening.

We are happy to show that we are ready to fight. We all know what would have happened [more debate over Conte’s future] if we had lost against Watford. There was a moment when we were 2-1 down, we were having difficulties and Watford could have made it 4-1. It was very important to come back to win.

The Blues are currently sat in 4th place on the Premier League table following what has been a rather mixed start to the season. Chelsea have already lost three games in their opening nine, and are nine points adrift of Manchester City at the top of the table.

In 2015 [under Mourinho] we wanted to fight as well but the game didn’t turn out well for us, there was too much bad luck. Sometimes different things happened.

But we are showing we want to fight again now, firstly as a group of players. We want to win games.

Conte helped Chelsea to an incredibly successful campaign last term, winning the Premier League trophy in his maiden season at the club.

We don’t want to lose and say we don’t care any more. We want to fight for ourselves, too. It is important for us. Some of us remember what happened two years ago and we don’t want the same thing to happen.

However, it looks as though Chelsea have a mountain to climb if they are to repeat last season’s heroics, and retain the Premier League title this season.