Pundit: This is what Antonio Conte done to set Chelsea apart this season

Danny Higginbotham believes that Antonio Conte deserves special praise for the way in which he has implemented his tactics at Chelsea this season.

The Blues have been by far and away the Premier League’s top performing club this season and are currently 10 points clear at the top of the table.

It has been in stark contrast to their struggles last term, when they ended up 10th in the table and without a trophy in the wake of Jose Mourinho’s sacking.

Conte has earned plenty of praise for the success Chelsea have experienced since he opted to switch to a 3-4-3 formation earlier in the season.

And former Stoke defender Higginbotham has been incredibly impressed by the impact Conte has had at Chelsea this season.

Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ on Friday morning, Higginbotham said: “It’s unbelievable [Conte’s impact]. It’s the consistency as well.

“He’s had to make very few changes but the changes that he does make from time to time… every player knows their role and what he’s shown is that he treats defence like attack. You rarely see them get done on the counter-attack.”

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Chelsea return to Premier League action after the international break when they take on Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on 1 April.