MULLOCK

BIG-MATCH VERDICT FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE

in third and Manchester United in sixth, as Conte ended his first campaign at Stamford Bridge as a champion.

Guardiola hailed the Italian as the best coach in the world after Conte became the first manager to beat him home and away in the same season.

The Catalan also insisted he had learned a harsh lesson about the realities of English football – yet his pass, move and pass again philosophy remains the same.

City dominated both games against Chelsea last season – and came away with zero points.

It must have seemed like Groundhog Day for Guardiola as the visitors had the home side on the rack for the first half.

With full-backs Kyle Walker and Fabian Delph pushed in-field, Cesc Fabregas, N’golo Kante and Tiemoue Bakayoko were chasing the shadows of De Bruyne and David Silva. But Chelsea dug in to survive. Silva was denied by Thibaut Courtois, who also excelled to beat away Fernandinho’s meaty header.

And when Alvaro Morata limped off in the 35th minute, it was telling that Conte replaced him with Brazilian midfelder Willian. At one point early in the second half, the home fans got excited when their team strung three forward passes together in succession.

Eden Hazard did finally bring Ederson into the action just after the hour with an angled drive.

But the tiny degree of control Chelsea had was temporary.

And when De Bruyne got a clear sight of Courtois’ goal, after exchanging passes with Jesus Gabriel in the 66th minute, he left his fellow Belgian clawing at thin air as he let fly with a left-foot shot from 20 yards that found the top corner.

Conte moaned afterwards that his men had been left drained by their midweek heroics to win at Atletico Madrid.

And City would have scored again had Jesus Gabriel’s volley not been brilliantly diverted off the line by Antonio Rudiger.

Last season, City picked up just two points from their games against the rest of the top four.

Seven games in, this time, they have already thrashed Liverpool by five and won at Chelsea.

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