Football
Liam Twomey, Chelsea correspondent 7y

Chelsea now seeing the Pedro who starred at Barcelona - Antonio Conte

LONDON -- Antonio Conte believes that Pedro Rodriguez is finally producing the kind of performances that made his name at Barcelona for Chelsea this season.

Pedro has registered five goals and five assists in the Premier League for the Blues and has particularly caught the eye since Conte's decision to switch to a dynamic and attacking 3-4-3 system, finding the net seven times in all competitions since October.

His impressive form means Pedro is likely to keep his starting spot against Hull City even if Diego Costa returns to the Chelsea team after missing last Saturday's 3-0 win over Leicester City, and Conte is full of praise for the 29-year-old's overall contribution.

"All of us can see his performance," Conte said of Pedro. "He's playing in a fantastic way, not only scoring but playing really good football with the ball and without the ball. He's always in the right position to press, to win the ball and to score the goal.

"I think we are seeing the best moment of Pedro. I think he played this type of football when he was in Barcelona, and I hope to continue in this way, to continue to train very well and to improve. He is a really important player for us, in the same way that Willian has recovered his form, Eden and Diego.

"Now we have four players that are playing very well, in a fantastic way. I'm pleased for this because it allows me to make different choices game by game.

"I must be honest -- this situation is not simple for me, to make this decision or another decision. But for sure, to have these four players in good form is important for me and important for the team.

"During the game I can change one player with another, to have another situation to win the game. If I make a decision to choose one player over another player, it's not because I want to punish [anyone]. Right now I have four players who stay in really good form and it's not easy, but I hope to make the best decisions."

Chelsea showed no sign of missing Costa at the King Power Stadium as Marcos Alonso popped up with two goals before Pedro secured a 3-0 victory, and Conte is keen to stress that his team's rise to the top of the Premier League has been a collective effort.

"Alonso is another player that is playing very well, but I think the reason that we are top of the table is that all our players are performing very well," he added.

"We are a team and in the team every single player is [showing] his talent. It's very important to continue this way, to continue to work, and maybe to work more than in the past if we want to stay on the top of the table.

"If you want to win something during the season, it's important to create this unity in the team, to create a good spirit. These are the most important things. I think we are showing this -- the players, the staff, the club."

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