Chelsea should be worried by Manchester City's start to the Premier League season, admits Antonio Conte

The Chelsea manager fears he may require further investment in his playing squad if the defending champions are to compete with Pep Guardiola’s side

Against Liverpool, Chelsea came close to suffering their fourth league defeat of the season (Getty)

Antonio Conte believes Chelsea should be “worried” by Manchester City’s start to the season and fears he may require further investment in his playing squad if the defending champions are to compete with Pep Guardiola’s side.

Chelsea came close to suffering their fourth league defeat of the season so far but ultimately rescued a point against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday, with Willian’s 85th-minute cross-cum-shot cancelling out an opener by Stamford Bridge old boy Mohamed Salah.

Though Conte and his players celebrated a point gained at the final whistle, it was still two points dropped on leaders City, who now sit 11 points clear of third-placed Chelsea after their win at Huddersfield Town on Sunday.

Conte was understood to be unhappy with his club’s dealings during the most recent transfer window, with Chelsea missing out on the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ross Barkley.

City meanwhile conducted much of their business early on in the summer, securing the majority of their first-choice targets, and Conte believes his club will have to do the same in the future in order to challenge.

“Manchester City's path is incredible, no? I think Manchester City in this season is a strong team,” Conte said in the hours after his side’s 1-1 draw at Anfield.

“Also last season, Manchester City was a fantastic team. Then, after the transfer market, they bought their first targets and then they have improved a lot. They can do this also in January maybe, in the future.

“For this reason we must be worried because if we want to compete with Manchester City we have to work and then make the best decisions in the transfer market.”

Even after Chelsea’s procession towards winning the Premier League title last season, City were widely considered favourites at the start of the current campaign, but few expected Guardiola’s side to have only dropped just two points 13 games in.

Conte denied that he has had to revise his expectations for the season, but claimed Chelsea were considered third-favourites at best this time around and spoke of how his side were “especially” preparing for success in the future, as well as during the current campaign.

“My expectations are always the same - to try to do our best,” the Italian said. “I think we are doing this and I think in this league, we started with the two favourite teams [as] the two Manchesters. Then I think Chelsea, like last season, wasn't a favourite.

“Despite this, we want to fight every game, we want to improve and I think we are trying to build something important for the present but especially for the future. You must have patience and work with the club in the right way.”

Manchester City have been in exceptional form (AFP)

Conte added: “Last season was an incredible challenge for me, after 10th place, and if you remember our start was not good. I tried to find a new tactical solution and then we changed our path and our results.

“Now, this season, there is another challenge. We lost a lot of good players compared to last season, we lost two important players [Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic], but at the same time we bought young players.

“I think these young players have a good future for Chelsea and I think we are building something important for the future. But at the same time, it's very important to be patient. When you see this type of performance you must be pleased.”