No-nonsense Antonio Conte refuses to reveal if David Luiz has future at Chelsea after leaving him out of matchday squad

ANTONIO CONTE refused to confirm whether David Luiz has a future at Chelsea before firing a warning shot at the Brazilian.

The no-nonsense Italian boss dropped Luiz for Chelsea's crucial 1-0 victory over rivals Manchester United.

It is believed the pair had a falling out following the 3-0 defeat in Roma last week.

But Conte was keen to stress it was just a tactical decision to leave the charismatic Brazilian out of the squad before revealing he could be facing a stint in the stands.

Speaking after the game, when asked if Luiz will remain a Chelsea player, he said: "I don’t know.

"He has to work really hard otherwise they are on the bench or in the stand.

"It was a tactical decision. There is [Andreas] Christensen in really good form and also we have [Ethan] Ampadu who is a good young player. The club like to play with the young player.

"We are conceding many goals so you have to find stability and solidity. We have to be patient with the team and defend in the right way."

Conte opted to put 17-year-old Ampadu on the bench ahead of Luiz who was crucial in their title charge last season.

And it proved a smart selection as the Blues held on to claim a vital win through Alvaro Morata's goal.

Talk before the match was all about Conte's fractious relationship with Jose Mourinho.

There was no love lost between the pair when they refused to shake each other's hand after the match.

But Conte was keen to downplay the incident.

He added: "It’s not important. It’s important to win the game. You have to have the respect on the pitch not outside the pitch.”