Conte hopes goal is a turning point for Morata

Boss Antonio Conte said Alvaro Morata’s goal in the FA Cup victory over Leicester was showed his character and will be vital for both the Spanish striker and Chelsea in the coming weeks.

Morata scored 12 goals in his first 25 appearances after joining from Real Madrid in the summer.

But the 25-year-old’s fine first-half one-on-one finish in the 2-1 extra-time quarter-final win against the Foxes ended a run of 13 games without a goal.

Morata’s last goal came on Boxing Day in the Premier League win victory over Brighton.

“For sure, for Alvaro, it was very important to score,” Conte said.

“But, at the same time, I’m very pleased for his performance because he played a good game.

“He showed great character and showed to be strong. This goal will be very important for the future, for us.”