Antonio Conte has praised Diego Costa for learning to control his emotions and argued he has turned himself into one of the world’s best strikers as a result.

The only goal of the game at the Riverside Stadium was Costa’s 10th of the season for Chelsea, but there was far more to his game on Teesside than just a poacher’s eye for a chance.

Costa was superb, holding the ball up whenever his team needed an outlet, creating a series of ­chances for team-mates to score the second goal that would have made their sixth successive league win far more comfortable.