Chelsea's Victory over Middlesbrough Has the Sniff of Champions About It

The Antonio Conte express train continues to roll on, and right now, it's the No. 1 attraction in the Premier League.

Chelsea are the Premier League's outright leaders after recording a sixth win in a row on Sunday—a 1-0 victory against Middlesbrough. With Liverpool dropping points at Southampton 24 hours earlier, it gave Conte's men the chance to steal a march on them. It was one they didn't refuse.

Indeed, mention of Liverpool's slip up away to Southampton is rather apt given that Chelsea proved particularly ruthless in dispatching the Saints a few weeks back.

Like-for-like comparisons in that sense can be pointless—they're different teams playing under different circumstances—but given how Chelsea were able to safely negotiate Middlesbrough suggests we're seeing performances from this side that other title challengers aren't producing. Not yet at least.

Not only have Chelsea picked up three points on the road against Southampton, they faced the same Boro side that had earned draws away to Arsenal and Manchester City in the past month. Aitor Karanka's side had pulled off those results with no shortage of defensive and tactical acumen. As is the manager's right to do, he set his team up to frustrate and deny opportunities.

At the Emirates Stadium, Boro very nearly came away with a shock victory, and having denied City in their own half, they caused problems in attack against Pep Guardiola's side, too.

It was expected that we would see the same against Chelsea at the Riverside. Gaps were found in the 3-4-3, and had Gaston Ramirez been more clinical in the final third, the home side may well have got more than they bargained for. Instead, it was just a shot from Alvaro Negredo that Thibaut Courtois had to save late on—his only such stop of the game.

As threatening as Boro were at times, they were frigid at the back. Chelsea's final ball wasn't executed effectively enough to really punish them, so coupled with a solid display from the centre-back pairing of Calum Chambers and Ben Gibson, it could have become a frustrating afternoon.

Jan Kruger/Getty Images

That it didn't prove to be tells us everything about where Chelsea find themselves at this moment. There are still 26 games remaining in the campaign, but that fact shouldn't deny that these players are beginning to think of themselves as champions again.

Whether it happens or not will be determined by many more factors than good form, although the Blues have the look of a side with the bit between their teeth, and they're unwilling to relinquish their grip.

It's been a rapid turnaround. As recently as late September, Conte was counting the cost of back-to-back defeats against Liverpool and Arsenal in a week that seemed to rule out any title push regardless of how early into the campaign we were. Chelsea just didn't look right, and facing two sides they were supposed to be challenging, they were bossed.

Since then, the system has been refined, and they're much better for it. Not only has it meant a more fluid style of football, it has also flicked a switch in the mentality of the players. Chelsea look resilient again, and when things aren't going their way, they're beginning to find solutions to the problems. We call that game management, and there are none better at it than Chelsea right now.

As almost every player on the field against Middlesbrough on Sunday will testify, that's the mark of winners. Six of those who started the game won the title with Chelsea in 2014/15, while Pedro, David Luiz and N'Golo Kante have won leagues elsewhere in their careers.

From the 5-0 thrashing of Everton ahead of the international break, defeat of Middlesbrough was about demonstrating different qualities. The Toffees had arrived at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago, not only looking to cancel Chelsea out, but also compete and get a result.

Ronald Koeman was complimentary at the final whistle, giving a public admission that he had underestimated the Blues. The Everton boss knew he was a facing a strong side, but just how strong they were was far from expectation. Through a willingness to play, Everton were crushed.

Karanka wasn't going to tempt himself, and it meant Chelsea scrapping more than they would have liked. And that's what impressed most; they may not have wanted to graft in the way we saw, but graft they did. Chelsea had to earn their right to take three points off a Boro side that matched their endeavour in every sense.

As if to rubber-stamp that approach, even Diego Costa's goal was a scrappy one. As the Boro defence failed to sufficiently clear a corner, it was the Chelsea striker who reacted quickest to connect with the ball as it dropped from the air after a headed clearance had sent it skywards.

Costa's more recent goals have been about the finesse that he possesses in front of goal; here he was showing the other side to his game.

It summed up Chelsea's entire afternoon. When things didn't seem to be working for them, hard work and anticipation found a way. The goal and performance were about the desire to make it work—without either of which, Chelsea would have missed out on their chance to go top.

They're qualities that serve any championship-winning team well. It's the staple of what makes it all come together: players working for each other, working for their manager and implementing his ethos on the pitch.

Champions in any country, in any era of football, are always the best team; not necessarily the most attractive, but function over style is what delivers trophies. Chelsea have known that in the four previous seasons when they have finished as Premier League winners in the past, and the players are beginning to understand that again.

It's quite remarkable that as December approaches, we're talking Chelsea up as serious title contenders. Only a year ago it was concerns at the other end of the table that were dominating the conversation. That has all changed because of basic attitudes. Conte is the driving force behind it, and the results are forthcoming.

Chelsea are showing they're capable of winning ugly, and come May, that will be the most beautiful quality of any team.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes