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Antonio Conte applauds Chelsea for show of unity
Chelsea's manager worries more about preserving the club’s Premier League position than striker Diego Costa’s long-term future
London — Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said his side had put on a united front after Diego Costa marked his return with a goal in a 2-0 victory over Hull City. Absent from Chelsea’s 3-0 win at Leicester City amid reports he had been unsettled by an offer from China, Costa celebrated his opener on Sunday with a hand gesture suggestive of media chatter. Conte claimed not to have seen the gesture, but with Chelsea having opened up an eight-point advantage at the top of the Premier League, he expressed confidence the matter had been put to bed. "Honestly, I didn’t see because I was celebrating on the bench," Conte told reporters at Stamford Bridge. "When we score goals, sometimes my celebrations are very dangerous for my staff! It’s important to score the goal and to celebrate in any way. "It’s important Diego played a good game and I hope with this game to finish the speculation about him, about Chelsea, about me and him. Because I think we showed that we are a team with great unity an...
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