Antonio Conte retains his confidence in his abilities — even if his Chelsea bosses are losing theirs.

The under-pressure Italian heads into Saturday’s lunchtime clash at home to a Watford who beat Arsenal last weekend, needing victory after going three games without a win.

The defending champions are nine points off Premier League leaders Manchester City, were beaten by rock-bottom, pointless, goalless Crystal Palace last week and blew a 2-0 lead at home to Roma in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Manager Conte is adamant the title race is not over, despite City’s impressive winning streak. But he refused to confirm, on a number of occasions, that he retains the faith of the Chelsea hierarchy.

Boss Conte cut a confident figure at his pre-Watford press conference... (
Image:
WENN.com)
...although Chelsea badly need a win after two losses and a draw in their last three (
Image:
Getty)

He said: “The support is my job, my work. This is only my support. I know only this support, in my experience.

“I don’t know other support. To put all myself into the job — if this is enough, it’s OK. If it’s not enough...”

Asked whether he had been backed by owner Roman Abramovich, Conte was again non-committal.

He added: “I think that, about my talks with the club, it’s right to keep them secret. It’s not important to tell the press. I think, honestly, it must be in this way. This is the right way.”

Conte is unhappy with the perception of him as a head coach with no interest in bringing young players through.

The Italian is understood to have been overruled in his bid to sell £33million Michy Batshuayi during the summer, with the club preferring to loan Tammy Abraham out to Swansea.

Chelsea believe their rising stars need at least two seasons of regular first-team football before ­making it into their senior squad, and have also farmed out the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek with such a strategy in mind.

Conte, though, has taken ­outspoken Kyle Scott under his wing after the midfielder’s fall-out with Under-23 boss Joe Edwards.

A breakdown in their relationship has led to the talented 19-year-old not playing for Edwards’ side.

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Conte, however, has been a big fan of Scott's ever since inviting him to train with the first team, and had him on the bench in midweek.

The Italian has also insisted he was right to warn back in July that he was ­expecting his toughest-ever season, with City and United spending big to strengthen.

He went on: “I was a magician to anticipate it! You hope you won’t have problems in your season.

“But, I repeat, I stay here to work. I stay here to put all myself into this club, for the fans and the players. Me and my staff. I’m a person who is not afraid to face the difficulties.

“My history speaks very clearly on that. I fought in the relegation zone. I started my career very badly, my first experience, but I understood and learned a lot about this.

“I repeat. I have experience, a lot of experience, as a player and as a coach of facing this type of situation.”

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