'Conte has turned David Luiz into a serious defender', says Jamie Redknapp

Antonio Conte has turned David Luiz into a "serious defender" at Chelsea, according to Jamie Redknapp.

Sunday's 2-0 win over Southampton saw the Blues finish October without conceding a single goal, the only team in Europe's top five leagues to achieve such a feat, following the Italian's move to a favoured three-man defence.

Redknapp, who incurred the wrath of Twitter after describing Victor Moses as a "young English talent", is impressed by the desire on show in the Chelsea squad and feels Luiz, long mocked himself, looks like the "real deal".

"There is a hunger about this Chelsea team," Redknapp said on Sky Sports.

"The manager has brought that in and the players are buying into it.

"Every single player on that pitch is working hard and there's a desire about them again. Conte has got them so well drilled. Everybody knows their job when they have the ball and it suits them defensively as well.

"Luiz looks - I'm scared to say it - like a serious defender. You've got him buying into it as well, and that was a problem for Chelsea for many years. But when he's like that, he looks the real deal."