Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has conceded that rivals Tottenham Hotspur are “ahead of us in terms of development” just a day before the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge.

Conte’s side welcome Spurs to The Bridge tomorrow afternoon.

Chelsea currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League, five points below Mauricio Pochettino’s side, and know Sunday’s clash is a must win if they are to leapfrog the Lilywhites and qualify for next season’s Champions League.

And prior to the clash, Antonio Conte has made the bold claim that Spurs have progressed further under Pochettino than Chelsea under his own reign.

“I think they have started before us,” he said of Spurs’ development. “I am talking about my period, my era, at Chelsea. We are talking about a team who, in the last few years now, have been competing to win the title. Don’t forget that, two years ago, they were very close to winning the title when Leicester won it.

“Last season they tried to compete with us. Don’t forget that our run-in to the season was incredible. We won eight of our last 10 games, otherwise Tottenham were ready to win it.

“So for sure, now, they are ahead of us in terms of that development. But, despite this, last season we were still able to win the title and reach the final of the FA Cup. This season, we want to try to go one better in that competition.”

Conte is set to end his second season in charge trophy-less after having won the Premier League in his debut campaign with the Blues – and the Italian has revealed that he believes as a manager it is easier to consistently win silverware abroad.

“Every manager wants to win a trophy,” added Conte, “But, if you just want to win trophies, maybe for important managers it’s easier to go to another country.

“In England, if you stay here, never, never will it be easy to win trophies. To be a coach in this league is a great achievement for a manager, because the tournament is so difficult. But the club judges the work of its manager.”