SINGAPORE - Ten points clear at the top of the table with 11 games left to go, Chelsea are flying high this season.

Antonio Conte’s men have swept most of the opposition after overcoming a wobbly start to their campaign, and former England international Emile Heskey believes they are well poised to claim their fourth Premier League crown.

The 39-year-old, who spent 19 seasons in the English top flight with Leicester City, Liverpool, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa, has been impressed with Conte’s work in his first sesson in charge of the Blues.

“He’s stamped his own authority on the team, has looked at what he’s actually got (at his disposal) and worked out a formula to take them to the heights they are at the moment,” said Heskey, who was speaking on the sidelines of the JSSL International 7s launch event on Wednesday (March 15) at The Arena.

“He’s fell out with players (like striker Diego Costa) but he’s also made up with them as well, so that’s a good trait. I know a lot of managers will fall out with players but it doesn’t need to be long term, it can be just a short tiff then you’re back in love again!”

The Leicester-born player also paid tribute to his hometown club who are on the comeback trail after sacking Claudio Raneiri, the manager who led them to a historic first league title last season. The Foxes are currently placed 15th after winning their last two league games, and overturned a first-leg deficit in the Champions League against Sevilla on Wednesday morning to progress to the quarter-finals.

Heskey believes the players have done well to cope with the pressure, particularly from the backlash of shock and disappointment from Ranieri’s removal, and he is not ruling out a shock European title.

“It’s the players who have needed to grind out results… but they have taken it on themselves to bounce back,” he said.

“Seven years ago they were in administration - you are looking at how far they have actually come, it’s been such a quick, fast rise to now winning the league and being in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

“I don’t know how far they can actually go (but) if you were to say they could win it, I couldn’t say no, I couldn’t put it past them.”

Capped 62 times by England, Heskey is perhaps most remembered for his four years at Liverpool. While he is enjoying the “fluid” and “pleasing” style of play under Juergen Klopp, he feels it is time for them to pick up their first piece of silverware under the German soon.

“I think at some stage you’ve got to start winning, first the cups and then the league, because if you do not, you have to start questioning what you are doing and what’s going wrong, especially a club like Liverpool who are so big and deserves it,” he said.

While Singapore fans would have loved to see the former Premier League star feature in the S.League after rumours of a deal surfaced a few years ago, Heskey said that an offer had not materialised.

However, the 39-year-old believes that playing in lower-profile overseas leagues can be a win-win situation for all parties.

Referencing former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant’s one-season stint with Tampines Rovers last year, he said: “I haven’t spoken to Jermaine about how it went, whether he liked it or not, but why not?

“I went to Australia (with Newcastle Jets) and I thought it was beautiful and the football was good.

“I think it’s great as long as the leagues use the (players’) profile to its full ability.”