Conte laments Chelsea injuries after Palace defeat

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said he needs to "find solutions" after a 2-1 defeat away to Crystal Palace on Saturday left the Premier League champions nine points adrift of leaders Manchester City.

Chelsea fell behind to a Cesar Azpilicueta own goal in the 11th minute and although Tiemoue Bakayoko equalised seven minutes later Wilfried Zaha scored a winner for Palace on the stroke of halftime.

Conte was without the injured Alvaro Morata and N'Golo Kante and his problems mounted when Victor Moses limped off midway through the first half.

"We played this game without three important players and that's not straightforward," Conte said. "We started very badly and it was a very difficult day.

"But we need also to understand the situation and to continue to work, to find solutions despite our injuries. They are big losses for us but we can only accept the situation and then do our best."

Chelsea have now lost three of their eight Premier League games this season, including both of their past two matches -- the first time they have suffered back-to-back Premier League defeats since April 2016. They are on 13 points from a possible 24.

"We have to go game by game and this season will be very difficult in all aspects," Conte said. "At the end of the season we'll see what has happened but we are trying to build something important for the future.

"The only solution I know in this circumstance is to work and work and work and work."