Chelsea news: Antonio Conte will have to manage Alvaro Morata - BBC Sport man Garth Crooks

CHELSEA boss Antonio Conte will have to protect Alvaro Morata to keep his side's title hopes alive.

22:52, Tue, Nov 7, 2017 | UPDATED: 22:53, Tue, Nov 7, 2017

Alvaro Morata shows off his kick-up skills on the golf course

That's the verdict of BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks in the wake of the Spain international's winner against Manchester United on Sunday.

Morata hit the ground running after arriving at Stamford Bridge from Real Madrid in a deal worth an initial £58m over the summer.

But he endured something of a dry spell prior to last weekend's showdown with United and will have been glad to get back on the scoresheet.

Crooks has now offered his take on what Conte must do to ensure Morata is available to help Chelsea defend their Premier League title.

Chelsea will need to wrap Morata in cotton wool in order to get him through a Premier League season
BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks offers his advice to Chelsea boss Antonio Conte

"Chelsea will need to wrap Morata in cotton wool in order to get him through a Premier League season," Crooks explained to BBC Sport.

"Fixtures during the Christmas and New Year periods can make or break a team, not to mention a player's form, and Morata looks more like a thoroughbred stallion than a Hereford bull.

"That said, Conte is no pushover and his response to leaving David Luiz, arguably his best player last season, out of the line-up against United, proves he is in no mood to take any nonsense from any of his players and expects complete and total commitment from everyone regardless of their perceived status.

Alvaro Morata plays for Chelsea versus Manchester United in the Premier League GETTY

Alvaro Morata scored the winner as Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 on Sunday

Alvaro Morata playfully sings with wife in back of London taxi

Garth Crooks GETTY

BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks says Chelsea boss Antonio Conte needs to protect Alvaro Morata

"I think Morata is a very different personality to Luiz, but if Conte wants to win the title that already appears to be slipping away, he has to manage all his players all the time regardless of their personality."

Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League following their win over United, nine points adrift of leaders Manchester City.

They'll be out to close the gap on Pep Guardiola's men when they visit West Brom on Saturday November 18.