Manchester City made light work of Cardiff to return to the top of the Premier League and on Wednesday night.
Phil Foden gave notice of his growing stature by stepping into the Blues team for a must-win game against Cardiff – and performing well.
But it was Kevin De Bruyne, finding his feet again after a stop-start season dogged by injury, who lit up the Etihad with a stunning opening goal and a dominant performance.
And with Fernandinho back in the engine room and in imperious mood, City are in great shape for the closing weeks of the season, and that Mission Improbable chase for the Quadruple.
Pep Guardiola had warned his Blues players that their focus had to be entirely on this game, and that dreams of winning four trophies – or five as he would have it – are reserved for bedtime.
He need not have worried as City set about their business in business-like fashion, De Bruyne’s angled stunner and Leroy Sane’s drilled second ensuring the points by half time. The only blot was the loss of Aleks Zinchenko with what looked like a hamstring tweak.
With Benjamin Mendy left out of the matchday squad after tempting the wrath of the manager with an unwise nightclub appearance in the early hours of last Saturday, and Fabian Delph injured, left back options are dwindling.
What was being portrayed as a humdrum league game before the excitement of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final and then a Champions League semi-final at Spurs’ new ground, was given a lift by the arrival of the teamsheets.
Foden’s inclusion, for his first league start, made everyone perk up, but perspective is badly needed.
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