Diego Costa's header just before half-time was enough to send Premier League leaders Chelsea nine points clear at the top of the table, as they beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at a foggy Selhurst Park on Saturday lunchtime.
Despite making a slow start to the game, the Blues came to life in the closing stages of the first half and never looked like relinquishing their lead thereafter, as they racked up their 11th consecutive league win.
Both managers made a fewchanges to their respective sides, as Jason Puncheon and Joe Ledley were recalled by Alan Pardew, whilst Chelsea welcomed back star man Eden Hazard, as well as Nemanja Matic.
After a relatively quiet start, the home side created the first real chance of the game but Puncheon was unable to direct Martin Kelly's low cross on target.
Despite having several well-placed free-kicks, Chelsea were the unable to test Wayne Hennessey in the Eagles' goal for much of the first half and struggled to breakdown a well organised Palace defence.
Pardew's team continued to have the better of the chances asJames McArthur headed wide from another Kelly cross, whilst Puncheon's close range free kick whistled over Thibaut Courtois' crossbar.
But with half-time looming, the Blues sprung to life and out of nowhere took the lead through Costa. The Spaniard rose highest to meet Cesar Azpilicueta's teasing cross and nodded the ball past a static WayneHennessey to give Conte's side a 1-0 lead at the break.
Diego Costa scores his 50th goal for @ChelseaFC. It was his 13th PL goal of the season. 8 goals in 9 PL away apps this season. pic.twitter.com/DQr23g8251
Palace came out with plenty more intent after the interval and Courtois had to be alert to save Yohan Cabaye's low drive.
N'golo Kante tried his luck at the other end with a similar attempt, but Hennessey was able to parry his fierce shot away from danger.
Although the away side were content to sit back and soak up pressure, they remained a threat going forward and Marcos Alonso went close to doubling their lead with a couple of half chances but was unable to direct either on target.
And the league leaders appeared to have weathered the mini-storm conjured up by the hosts as they started to open the Eagles' backline up with alarming regularity. Kante wasnext tobedenied, this time by an excellent one-handed save by Hennessey as the Blues looked to kill the game off.
Cesc is immediately in the thick of the action wriggling into the box. His cutback hits Alonso with Hazard waiting to score. #CRYCHE
Conte's men continued to look the more likely to score as the match headed into the closing stages and went even closer when Alonso sent a superb 25-yard free kick crashing against the Palace crossbar.
With Pardew growing increasingly frustrated with his team's passive performance they finally started to put Chelsea under pressure in stoppage time, but in truth, they barely tested Courtois as the visitors saw out the added five minutes and wrapped up yet another three points.
The win means that Conte's men are now only three more consecutive wins away from matching the record set by Arsenal back in 2002 and can enjoy being nine points clear for the next 24 hours at least, as fellow their fellow title rivals don't play until Sunday afternoon.
For Palace meanwhile, their miserable 2016 continues as they sit dangerously near the relegation zone and have only managed to keep three clean sheets in their last 36 league matches.
Here's the #CPFC team to take on @ChelseaFC this afternoon. #CRYCHE pic.twitter.com/UDhIn3InUN
Here's how the Blues line up today. Full team news... https://t.co/Yuyd2VvDoh pic.twitter.com/kfpxy9IXnL