Antonio Conte must prepare his players for a massive game on Sunday (Picture: Getty)
Antonio Conte must prepare his players for a massive game on Sunday (Picture: Getty)

Antonio Conte believes his side have lost their ‘hunger’ this season ahead of a massive game against Manchester United on Sunday.

The Red Devils travel to Stamford Bridge aiming to inflict a serious blow to Chelsea’s hopes of retaining their title.

Chelsea were blown away by Roma on Tuesday night in a dreadful away performance in the Champions League despite playing a near full-strength team.

Conte has urged his players to use the humiliating loss to Roma to rediscover their hunger to win.

‘This season we have to dig very deep if we want to be competitive and fight for something important,’ he said after the game.

Chelsea were woeful against Roma (Picture: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

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‘If we are not ready to dig deeper, we can have this type of game.

‘This season will be very difficult if we don’t understand quickly the right way that we have to go.

‘Last season we showed great hunger, great will to do something of importance. Last season we won the league and did a miracle.

(Picture: Getty)
(Picture: Getty)

‘If we think that only because our name is Chelsea and the opponent has fear for the name Chelsea, I think this is not the right way.

‘We must find the hunger that we showed in all last season and in this season sometimes.

‘We have to try to find the strength to understand and to use this loss in the right way.’

Manchester United beat Benfica on Tuesday night (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea were 2-0 down at the start of the second half after an error-strewn opening 45 minutes in Rome.

Despite conceding two goals, Conte thinks his side were unlucky to be chasing the game in the second half.

‘I actually believe that in the first half we played a good match,’ he said.

(Picture: EPA/ETTORE FERRARI)

‘We created many chances and were unlucky not to take them.

‘What I’m most disappointed about was the performance in the second half when Roma had more hunger, more desire, more fight to beat us and clearly deserved this win.

‘The second half was really bad, bad for a team like us. I didn’t see positive things.’

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