Antonio Conte believes the British media have singled him out and that even though Arsene Wenger does get criticised, the Frenchman has been in charge for over 20 years… which somehow makes it different…

After winning the Premier League last season, Conte has been under pressure to replicate the form Chelsea showed following their humiliating 3-0 loss away to Arsenal in September 2016.

However, unfortunately for the Italian manager, the Blues have been underwhelming this term. Chelsea are just about in the top four and have only won two out of their last five matches.

Therefore, Chelsea being Chelsea or, more precisely, Roman Abramovich being Roman Abramovich, Conte is under a little bit of pressure and believes the media are ganging up on him by speculating about his future.

“I don’t understand why other coaches are not under pressure after a defeat in the way that you are doing with me,” Conte told Sky Sports.

“But I repeat, this is not a problem because I don’t read (newspapers), I don’t go online.

“As you know very well, I don’t have a relationship here with a journalist. I want to see if there is one to tell the opposite (that he is not about to leave).

“Yes (Wenger has been criticised). But after 20 years, not after one year and a half.

conte wenger
(IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)

“Me after one year, and then after we won the league, because don’t forget that last season we won the league as underdogs.

“Now my ambition is to have another season in England and to respect my contract. This is my decision. Then we will see what happens and anything can happen.”

If Conte thinks he’s having a bad time, he needs to spend one week in Wenger’s shoes.

The 48-year-old was quick to shrug off what the Frenchman goes through every season by saying that he’s been doing this for 20 years and implying that he’s only just now facing criticism.

When Wenger loses, it’s because he’s a terrible manager – he’s outdated and past it and has been under sustained attack from the press for around 10 years now.

When he wins, it’s because the other team were terrible. When he signs top players, it’s damage limitation or too little too late or because someone else signed them. When he lets players leave, he’s being soft but when he keeps them it’s bad for business.

Conte should count himself lucky. If he’s like this after a year and a half in England, what would he be like after 20?