Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte ignored Diego Costa's substitution request

COSTA

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte ignored Diego Costa's request to be substituted against Leicester before telling the striker he is needed for the team.

Costa scored his seventh Premier League goal of the season as Chelsea beat champions Leicester 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.

The Spain striker is one yellow card away from suspension and appeared to call for his own withdrawal midway through the second half. Had Costa been booked he would have missed next Sunday's reunion with Jose Mourinho, when Manchester United visit live on Sky Sports

Conte insisted it was his choice alone not to take off Costa and downplayed suggestions the striker was feeling his troublesome hamstrings.

"If I can, Costa I keep him [on the pitch] until the end," Conte said. "I can take the risk about this, for a yellow card or for injury. I decide.

"He must understand for this team he is a player with a great personality and if I can, I keep him on the pitch until the end in every game.

"I know I risked it, if he got another yellow card he would miss the game against Manchester United. But for me, today is more important.

"Diego is in good shape. Costa is an important player to us. He has a good personality. We need his passion in every moment of the game."

Conte on Friday laughed off suggestions he was about to be sacked after some bookmakers suspended betting on his departure a day earlier.

And Chelsea's best performance of the season was the on-field response.

"I'm quite tranquilo. I'm very happy," said Conte, who dedicated the performance to Willian and his family after the Brazil playmaker's mother died during the week.

"When you work so hard during the week, it's logical you want to see a good result, good play, a good game.

"I asked to start very well with the intensity. To try to do what we do during training sessions and I'm very happy.

"I saw this. I'm very happy, above all for my players."