‘He just kept on encouraging me’: Victor Moses credits manager Antonio Conte for reviving Chelsea career

Chelsea's Nigerian midfielder Victor Moses looks on during the English Premier League football match against Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge in London on May 8, 2017. Adrian Denis / AFP

Chelsea’s Victor Moses has credited manager Antonio Conte for reviving his career at Stamford Bridge by converting him into a wingback during their Premier League title charge this season.

The 26-year-old Nigeria international Moses was previously sent out on loan for three consecutive seasons by manager Jose Mourinho before Conte arrived this season and changed Chelsea’s main formation to 3-4-3.

That reshuffle brought Moses back into the starting line up, and has helped make him one of the most consistent performers this season, making 37 appearances in all competitions.

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“He [Conte] didn’t say to me, ‘Do I fancy playing wingback?’ He just put me in there, and after that he just kept on encouraging me,” Moses said.

“He went through what the position was all about, constantly talking to me in training to make sure I was improving in it. I took that in and I didn’t look back.

“I have been learning a lot defensively. And when I play against a winger, I understand what they are going to do before they try and go past me, so it makes it a lot easier.”

Moses said the position has added responsibilities at both the attacking and defensive ends, but he is enjoying the experience with every game.

“You need a lot of stamina to be able to play that position, and it’s a responsibility for me as well,” he said.

“I have never played that position before, but I am enjoying it. The more games I play, the better I get.”

League leaders Chelsea hold a seven-point advantage over Tottenham Hotspur and can seal the title if they beat West Bromwich Albion away on Friday, something goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said was a matter of urgency.

“We hope to do it at the first attempt. We know West Brom are a hard team to play against. We had a very tough game here,” Courtois said, referring to Chelsea’s 1-0 win over West Brom at Stamford Bridge in December.

“Every opponent who goes there has a hard game. They are eighth in the league and have had a very good year.”

Courtois joined Chelsea in 2011 and had three year-long loan spells at Atletico Madrid but returned to the London side in 2015 when Chelsea won the title under Mourinho.

He said a title win will be special due to an inconsistent 2015/16 campaign that saw them finish 10th.

“The first year I came here, I came from winning the league in Spain and straight away we won the league, so that was very nice,” Courtois, 24, said.

“This year was maybe even more special, because last year was a very bad year.

* Reuters

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