Sunday 31 December 2017 15:08, UK
Antonio Conte has defended Mark Hughes' decision to field a weakened Stoke side during the 5-0 thrashing by Chelsea on Saturday.
Hughes left key players Xherdan Shaqiri and Joe Allen out of the defeat at Stamford Bridge, admitting that he had one eye on Stoke's match at home to Newcastle on Monday.
Eighteen-year-olds Tom Edwards and Josh Tymon were both handed a starting place as goals from Antonio Rudiger, Danny Drinkwater, Pedro, Willian and Davide Zappacosta handed Chelsea a comfortable victory.
Conte, who himself rested Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue Bakayoko, believes rotation is inevitable during the busy winter period.
"You can be surprised but am I? Not at all," Conte told Chelsea TV. "Stoke has to play another game in two days against Newcastle and they played three days ago.
"It was the same for us. When you play a lot of games in a few days it is important to rotate and find different solutions.
"Today, for example, Hazard was rested. You know very well the importance of this player. Fabregas was rested. Bakayoko, if you look at the previous game, was also rested.
"It is important to make the best rotation but you have to make sure you don't lose the balance of your team."
Speaking after the game on Saturday, Hughes admitted his squad had been stretched by the hectic Christmas schedule and said injuries in defence had forced his hand.
"We were stretched today - a little bit too much," he said. "We didn't have the tools to have a go at Chelsea.
"We've got injuries in key areas. That back four clearly hasn't played together, with two young full-backs. They found it difficult, which is understandable.
"It's a huge leap to what they're used to. At times they'll make mistakes and at this level you get punished. You have to factor that in and we understand that."
