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So that's a job well done for Chelsea. Antonio Conte answers the critics and responds to the speculation in emphatic style.

His side dodged the odd scare on their way but after West Brom missed two cracking chances after the break, the Blues kicked on.

It turns out Eden Hazard is a player, it turns out Daniel Sturridge is injury prone and both of those factors will only serve to keep Chelsea in the top four and West Brom nearing the Championship respectively.

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So goodnight my chums. Antonio is clapping your performance. We will catch up another time.

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West Bromwich Albion

More from Alan Pardew on BBC Radio 5 live: "If we can get two or three wins in our next group of games we can put pressure on the other teams.

"It would help if we had Daniel Sturridge. That was probably a bigger blow than the result tonight, we need to get him up and running because it's goals we've struggled with."

On going to train in Spain: "We need a change of scenery, bit of sun on our backs."

West Bromwich Albion

West Brom boss Alan Pardew to BBC Radio 5 live: "When you go to a top six team who are wounded a little bit, we had a great chance to hurt them. We missed a great chance and five minutes later we were 1-0 down. Our poise in the game was good and we still created chances.

"We just couldn't hurt them. Once they got the second goal you could see the relief in the team and the crowd.

"There have been so many drawn games we should have won and losing Daniel Sturridge after three minutes was a blow in itself.

"He felt his hamstring after a 60 metre full sprint in the first moments of the game. He's had to come off. We'll have to nurse him. He won't play next week (in the FA Cup) but hopefully the week after."

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I'm trying to find some positives for West Brom fans. Tonight they got 20 crosses in from open play. Some of them were very dangerous. They just need someone on the end of them and who knows?

Their run of league fixtures now though looks absolutely crucial.

Huddersfield, Watford and Leicester in their next three league games. Surely less than six points from those and it's curtains?

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Jake Lawson: Why not go to Spain? Can't see much value in West Brom keeping with their regular regimen. FWIW, #LCFC, external were 7 points from safety after 29 matches in 2014/15, so I'm putting a fiver on the Baggies to win the league next year. #bbcfootball, external

Sounds like a wise investment Jake. And for those of you just tuning in, West Brom are going to Spain warm-weather training after tonight.

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte on his strikers: "We forced Giroud to play with Morata injured. It was important to have a point of reference like him. For us he could become an important player.

"At the same time I think I had a good answer with Morata when he came on, for this we must be happy. We spent one month to find a solution for Morata's pain in his back. Now we are in the right way. He must find the best physical condition but we must be happy."

On speculation over his own future: "We are getting used with the speculation. My players know very well what our work is and what we have to do. For sure we are going to try to fight against this speculation. There is only one way, to win and play good football. I think until the end we continue to live with this speculation. For me it is not important."

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Chelsea

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte speaks to Sky Sports: "I think tonight was very important for us to get three points and win the game, especially for confidence. When you lose in a bad way two game's the confidence goes down.

"It was important for the players to have a couple of days to rest and tonight is a good win.

"We started the game with not a lot of confidence and made a couple of mistakes. West Brom could have scored. Then I think when we scored we controlled, dominated and had many chances. It's important to go through this bad moment but the most important is to get the win.

"Now we have the FA Cup on Friday and want to go through to the next round, then Barcelona. It will be important to find the right confidence."

West Bromwich Albion

West Brom boss Alan Pardew on Sky Sports: "No goals. When you come to the top teams when you get your chances you have to take them. We had three big chances tonight. It changes the impact of the game - one of those might be enough to unnerve them, in the end they get confidence from the 2-0 lead.

"It was a blow to lose Daniel Sturridge on his first run into the corner. That didn't give us the perfect start. In many ways we've done a decent job tonight but it sums up the season for us. We can't seem to get the goals to get us the win. Daniel's injury will be important now - getting him back.

"We're hoping it's not too bad. We don't think it is a tear or anything. It will probably keep him out of the FA Cup game (on Friday)."

On whether Jay Rodriguez's FA charge affected a missed chance in the first half: "I don't think it's anything to do with that. It was just a poor decision. He may have thought taking it early was the best decision. I can't imagine that was anything to do with it."

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Chelsea

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Chelsea's Eden Hazard on playing with Olivier Giroud: "He is a great target man. Maybe one of the best in England. So we can pass the ball and go around him. He is a good point of reference. We have aplenty though as we have him, Alvaro and I can play striker also."

On the targets that remain for the season: "I think we need to be in the top four for the Champions League. If we can take the FA Cup, the Champions League also but it's not easy.

"We will go for everything. We need to give everything to reach our target and our target when you play for Chelsea is to win trophies."

Chelsea

Chelsea foward Eden Hazard speaks to Sky Sports: "We showed a response and did well in front of four fans. It's always good to play a game like this. Now we face Hull and Barca and we are ready. It's not easy to lose two games but now we are back, we are Chelsea, the champions, we have to give everything.

"Sometimes you lose. The most important thing is to be together. We worked together and talked together. Today we showed great character defensively and offensively."

West Bromwich Albion

West Brom keeper Ben Foster to 5 live: "It was a decent performance, we plugged away and couldn't find the back of the net. It's similar to how the season has gone.

"It's really difficult - you see some of the results go against you and you're cut adrift. We have big games against other teams in the bottom half of the table - they're really big six pointers.

"Going to Spain now is more a change of scenery. It's been dark and gloomy the weather here so it will be good to get some sun on the training pitch."

West Brom go warm-weather training after this game. Spain it is.

I'm not sure what to make of that. Bottom of the league and it's a sunshine break.

Shamsheer Chelsea: Much needed 3 points Players showed some pride Let's build some momentum.

Donald: Chelsea were much better with a striker upfront. It gave Hazard more room to play his game.

What did you make of that? Send us your tweets on #bbcfootball.

Chris Sutton
Ex-Chelsea striker on BBC Radio 5 live

You can't keep being unlucky if you're Alan Pardew. There were moments with big chances. Is it unlucky or bad play? It's bad play and not taking your opportunities.

On paper this West Brom side is too good to go down but they have underachieved.

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Alan Smith of The Times points out some key games on the horizon. And boy oh boy does that 25-game run of form look dire.

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Chris Sutton
Ex-Chelsea striker on BBC Radio 5 live

If Chelsea beat Manchester United in their next league game they will go level on points. They had the match winner in Eden Hazard. It was all about the performance and result and Antonio Conte got it from his team.

Had Chelsea not won this game the future of Conte would be questioned again. You hear the Chelsea fans, they back their manager and so they should.

The players are still with him. You could see that in the performance.

The home side had 20 shots in all, eight on target.

This is very much a scoreline they deserve but the key detail came just after half-time, when West Brom missed two cracking chances.

In other news, Daniel Sturridge lasted less than three minutes tonight. Add that to the result and Alan Pardew could be forgiven for wondering if he's walked under a ladder this week.