Antonio Conte has consistently claimed he is “different” to his Chelsea predecessors as questions have been raised over his future during recent weeks, but, until Sunday, it was hard to pinpoint exactly what he meant.

In dropping David Luiz for one of Chelsea’s biggest games of the season, Conte gave the clearest message that he will not manage in fear of what owner Roman Abramovich might do next.

Abramovich had been a driving force behind the decision to re-sign Luiz last summer and regards the Brazilian as a world-class defender, but that did not influence Conte’s decision.

While manager after manager have been too afraid of the consequences to axe the likes of Branislav Ivanovic and, to different degrees, allowed the dressing room to dictate the future, Conte will keep matters in his own hands.

Conte will not attempt to placate Abramovich, he will simply make the decisions he feels are best for the club and stand by them – whether they are judged good or bad.

Neither did Conte care how the axing of Luiz might go down with other members of the squad, even though the 30-year-old is one of the biggest characters of his dressing-room.