Conte increasingly looks as if he is in the final days of his reign at Chelsea

Even in the midst of Chelsea’s Premier League title celebrations at West Bromwich Albion last May it was possible to detect some of the problems that have brought the club to the present crisis. Roman Abramovich is now ruminating on precisely when to make his 12th managerial change in 15 years of owning the club.

In a small room underneath the West Stand at the Hawthorns, Diego Costa was threatening to douse Antonio Conte’s already champagne-soaked suit with the contents of a fire extinguisher, yet it would soon become apparent to Chelsea’s hierarchy that their temperamental striker was not the only one present who was out of control.

Conte is expected to still be Chelsea’s head coach when West Brom visit Stamford Bridge on Monday,