LONDON –

Pep Guardiola kept up with the progress of a penalty shootout with a difference this week. It was in the World Chess Championship between Norway's Magnus Carlsen, the reigning champion, and Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin.

Their best-of-12 match ended in a dead-heat so the title went to a four-game tiebreaker, a series of rapid and blitz games and Norway beat Russia. It is chess' equivalent of a penalty shootout which is guaranteed to produce a winner though hardly an accurate barometer of a team's skill.

The Manchester City manager is fascinated by chess because the participants have to think as many as 10 moves ahead. During a dinner in New York with former world champion Gary Kasparov, Guardiola was eager to know the secret to a truly great chess player. The answer was concentration — he who concentrates best and longest wins.

Guardiola has brought the chess theory into football. A coach who can think ahead of his opponent has an advantage. The team that holds its concentration better than the opposition also has the edge.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach has taken analysis to a new level. He studies anything and everything he can about the other team which helps him reach his own conclusions about his gameplan and tactics. His target this week has been Chelsea's Antonio Conte who, like Guardiola, arrived in English football last summer.

They were charged with fixing underachieving teams though few would have thought the Italian would be marginally ahead of the Catalan after one-third of the season. "We are going to play the best team of this moment in the Premier League," said Guardiola of the first vs. third clash at Etihad Stadium on Saturday. "We have had six days to prepare for the match. We have to discover Conte's secret and what we can do about it . . . how we can beat him.

"Chelsea has a master tactician, a superb coach and excellent players plus a preferential calendar without any European competition and therefore lots of time to concentrate on training and preparation for each game."

The last seven managers Conte has faced in the Premier League have failed to beat him. Chelsea has won seven games with six shutouts, while City has managed just one clean sheet in eight matches and in its 13 league games under Guardiola; only three sides have kept fewer shutouts so far this term.

Two months ago, when Chelsea was losing 3-0 to Arsenal, Conte brought on Marcos Alonso and if nothing else the Gunners did not score again. He switched Chelsea from a 4-2-4 formation to the 3-4-3 which had served him so well with Juventus and Italy and since then his team has been unbeatable.

It is hardly original, and 20 years ago Guardiola was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that played this way. But it is proving highly effective with wing-backs Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses relishing their new roles after seemingly having little future at Stamford Bridge.

Guardiola has yet to decide on a settled formation, having switched City's tactics depending on the opposition. Fernandinho is City's most influential player, giving protection to the defense while his energy and passing set the tempo in midfield. Fernandinho and back in favor YaYa Toure vs. N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic will be a fascinating heavyweight battle for midfield control.

Raheem Sterling is clearly relishing Guardiola's coaching and man-management, the England forward finally realizing the potential he showed at Liverpool which prompted City to pay £44 million for him.

Both teams ooze class with Sergio Aguero, four goals in his last two league matches, and Diego Costa the leading scorers in the Premier League with 10 goals apiece.

The tactical head-to-head between Guardiola and Conte will be intriguing. Conte has chosen the same starting XI for the last six matches so it is unlikely to change for this contest. Guardiola is more likely to spring a surprise with his selection, but at the moment Conte is the flavor of the month and inevitably the match is as much about the managers as the teams.

Conte has beaten Jose Mourinho with a convincing 4-0 win over Manchester United. Last Saturday, Chelsea ended Mauricio Pochettino's unbeaten record with Tottenham and Christian Eriksen's goal in their 2-1 victory was the first Chelsea had conceded in more than 10 hours of league football.

The Italian said: "It's a big test because Man City is a fantastic team. Now we are a different team to two months ago. I love the mentality of my players. I see a great attitude and great commitment from all of them. I see the will to change something from the past, now it's important to continue."

Both managers have had a full week to plan and prepare for the match which will tell us whether grandmaster Guardiola can force Conte into a footballing checkmate.

Toothless: The English Football Association once again came down on Jose Mourinho for his touchline excesses with its usual slap across the wrist with a wet lettuce leaf.

Complaining about a decision by referee Jon Moss to caution Paul Pogba for simulation, which just about every neutral agreed with, the Manchester United manager showed his traditional contempt and took his frustration out on a water bottle which he kicked along the sideline. For the second time in a month he was sent to the stands.

The F.A. believed the punishment for this should be a one-game touchline ban, which effectively is no punishment at all, plus a fine of £14,000 which, to a multimillionaire, is a restaurant tip. And it wonders why he keeps attempting to belittle referees and undermine their authority.

Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.