Antonio Conte urges Chelsea players to ignore Manchester City's rampant run and focus on job at hand

Chelsea currently sit 11 points behind City in the Premier League

Antonio Conte also said that his Chelsea side were 'building' for the future (Getty)

Antonio Conte has told his players to ignore Manchester City’s rampant run, as well as the form of any of their rivals, and just concentrate on themselves to get back on track this season.

Chelsea lie 11 points behind City in the table and the Italian earlier in the day refused to rule out a title challenge even though Pep Guardiola’s side are currently on an 11-game winning streak and unbeaten this season.

Conte stressed that the champions will not be spooked into any hasty action by what is happening at the Etihad, as he maintained that his side are taking one step at a time.

“We have to look at ourselves and not the others,” Conte said ahead of his team’s home match with Swansea City on Wednesday. “Now our target must be to see the team that is before us. In this case, Manchester United.

“Our first target is to catch them up and if we are able to do this and then we can see the team who is staying before us. This must be our mentality and in every game we have to try to win and do our best. This must be the right mentality, winning mentality.

“If you leave Man City out of the table there is United and we are three points behind. Man City is doing something incredible until now but we have to trust to continue to improve in our work in our team and try to do our best. This is the right way.”

When it was put to Conte what he would ask from owner Roman Abramovich to match City’s form, he insisted Chelsea are “building” for the future.

“I think about this topic it is better if once my club ask me what I need to catch them up and then I will answer but in a private way,” Conte first joked.

Conte has urged his men to focus on the job at hand rather than fixating on City's rampant run (Getty)

“We are in November and now we have to fight with this squad and I want to repeat that I am very happy to work with these players and try to do our best in this tournament.

“If one day the club try to ask me something about this topic I can give my opinion but at the same time I am very happy to work for this club with these players. The club knows very well we are trying to build something important for the present for the future, in this moment we started to build something from the last season.

“Last season we were so good to win at the same time but don't forget we are building and the club nows very well what is our situation at the moment.”

Conte also said he relishes the pressure and thrill of the chase.

“Last season we started without this pressure but I want to tell you the pressure is very important. If there is not pressure, I put pressure on myself, the players, the club because it is right to have pressure if you want to create something important for the present and the future.

“I need to feel this and, if I don’t, I put it on myself and also the players because it is a vital part of you want to create something important, if you want to win.”