Conte ‘determined’ to stay amid indications that the Italian is on the exit door

Antonio Conte at press conference before Chelsea-Tottenham game. [Photo: Courtesy]

Defiant Antonio Conte insisted he does not fear the axe despite facing a fight to reach the Champions League.

The Chelsea boss became the first in 28 years to lose at home to Tottenham but - with the club fifth, eight points behind their London rivals - claimed he has squeezed all that he can out of his men.

Conte also suggested the Blues’ position vindicated his continued complaints throughout the season over the board’s transfer policy.

The Italian, widely expected to leave at the end of the season, said: “I’m not worried. Honestly. I think that I’m giving - the players are giving everything this season.

“We are working very hard to try to have a good season, but I think that, in the end, we are deserving this season. It means that our value is this.

“On the one hand, we must be realistic and understand the teams that stay ahead of us are going very fast, at great speed.

“Today we had a great chance to close the gap with Tottenham and we lost this chance. On the other hand, we have to know that, until the end, we have to try and do our best. To try in these seven games to do everything and try to take a place in the Champions League. But it won’t be easy.”

Despite reaching the FA Cup semi-finals, Chelsea have now lost four of their last six matches, a run which has included their exit from the Champions League.

Alvaro Morata’s 30th-minute opener was cancelled out by Christian Eriksen in first-half injury time. Conte kicked his water bottles on the touchline in frustration after Dele Alli netted with the second of his two goals.

Explaining why, the Italian went on: “There was great frustration to concede a stupid goal in this way.

“Instead of putting the ball in the stand. I did this with the bottle of water. Maybe I wanted to play in that moment and shoot the ball in the stand.

“But, I repeat, there are a lot of players with not great experience and they have to gain that experience also with mistakes. We must have patience.”