Antonio Conte hails arrival of Chelsea's new 3-5-2 formation in time for Liverpool clash

Antonio Conte is confident his Chelsea side have found a "new balance" in their recent tactical changes ahead of their Premier League showdown with Liverpool.

The success of Conte's 3-4-3 formation was the foundation of the Blues' Premier League title triumph last season but in recent weeks the Italian has made further adjustments to his system.

Following a heavy 3-0 defeat away to Roma in the Champions League, the Italian coach opted for a 3-5-2 formation in wins against Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion, naming an additional central midfielder with Eden Hazard moved to play just off striker Alvaro Morata.

That tinkering has also seen changes in personnel with Andreas Christensen replacing David Luiz in a back-three – with Chelsea racking up back-to-back clean sheets for the first time this season since that change.

It leaves Chelsea in rude health heading into a huge league meeting with Liverpool at Anfield, where Conte's recent changes will be further tested against opposition who have scored 13 goals in their last four games in all competitions.

"This season I think we are changing something to find a new balance, a new solidity, to have a good balance when we are attacking and when we are defending," Conte said, ESPN report. "I hope to continue to improve. This is the second game we finished with a clean sheet and we have to continue in this way."

The partnership between Hazard and Morata has been particularly fruitful since the tactical shake-up with both men on the score sheet in the 4-0 win over West Brom, with each man providing the assist for the other.

And with Victor Moses their only remaining injury absentee – with a return on Saturday [25 November] at Anfield now a real possibility – Conte believes things can get even better.

"In this season we faced a lot of problems from the start. Now we are trying to solve these problems, to recover the players, to find the right form for players like Hazard and also Morata – this is the first that he is playing with regularity.

"Kante is recovering good form and you know very well the importance of these players for us. Also Drinkwater, now he is starting to play. We had a lot of problems and also we are trying to change something in the tactical aspect, to find different solutions. When you concede so many goals it means you have to find a new balance and solidity."