How Antonio Conte beat Pep Guardiola in the battle of three-man defences | Michael Cox

In a tactical sense, the arrival of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Antonio Conte at Chelsea has taken the Premier League to a new level

The tactical battle explains the pattern of a football match, but the result is dependent upon small moments – and Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Manchester City was a perfect example. Had Kevin De Bruyne, the game’s outstanding player for the first hour, converted an open goal to put Manchester City 2-0 ahead, the story would have been about how Pep Guardiola had exposed Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system. Instead, De Bruyne somehow contrived to hit the bar, and Chelsea’s subsequent comeback means Guardiola’s system is questioned. The reality isn’t quite so simple.

Related: Manchester City’s lack of mental edge exposed in Pep Guardiola challenge | Paul Wilson

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