Chelsea manager Antonio Conte insists he has a harder job than Burnley boss Sean Dyche

Conte thinks that his job at Stamford Bridge is “not as simple” as Dyche’s, who is in contention to be named this season’s manager of the year

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has argued that he has a harder job than Burnley boss Sean Dyche, stressing that when “you start the season fighting to avoid the relegation zone it is more simple.”

Burnley are enjoying a remarkable campaign and their 2-1 victory over Leicester last weekend leaves them in a strong position to secure Europa League qualification next season. A sixth win in succession against Chelsea today would see them move above Arsenal into fifth – with a potentially decisive game at the Emirates still to come.

Chelsea have meanwhile struggled and look destined to miss out on Champions League qualification for the second time in the last three years, having won the Premier League title last season. And Conte thinks that his job at Stamford Bridge is “not as simple” as Dyche’s, who is in contention to be named this season’s manager of the year.

“I think he is doing an important job and is doing a great job this season,” Conte said. “But if you start the season fighting to avoid the relegation zone it is more simple.

“It is more simple because you have to avoid the last three places at the bottom and then you can stay between ten teams. You can play only for this target. And then if you have a good base and in the previous season you played very well, you can count on this basis.

“It is difficult if you play to win because only one team wins and if the others do not win you are the first to speak about a failed season. If you do not win the FA Cup, the Premier League, the Carabao Cup, it is a failed season and for this reason it is more difficult to play for this target.”

Chelsea returned to winning ways by fighting back to beat Southampton last weekend, and can cut the gap to fourth-place Tottenham to five points by beating Burnley, after Mauricio Pochettino’s side drew with Brighton on Tuesday night.

But a glum Conte seemed to admit his side’s chances of catching Spurs are slim, especially with a league game against Liverpool on the horizon.

Chelsea are unlikely to reach the Champions League (Getty)

“We are talking about a really good team,” Conte said when asked if a win over Burnley would help Chelsea to keep the pressure on Tottenham. “And we wasted a great chance when we played them at home and lost the game.

“We have to try to do our best but at the same time we have to know that in front of us there is a team that do not often drop points. They did this in the last two games against Manchester City and Brighton, but we must be very good not to drop points if we want to have a hope to finish in the top four.”