Photo: Peter Nicholls/Reuters

Eden Hazard being on the bench against Tottenham was all part of the plan, and the Chelsea star who didn’t make the starting lineup revealed after the game that Conte had told him the previous day that he wouldn’t start.

When asked whether he was surprised not be included in the starting line-up, Hazard said: “No, the manager told me yesterday.

“You have to expect everything in football. You want to play every game, of course, that’s what every footballer wants.

“But I think he [Conte] made a great choice as Willian scored two goals.”

Hazard came in to much effect as he scored a goal and created another.