Barcelona raise the bar for City

Man City 2 Chelsea 0

A home league defeat to Chelsea two weeks earlier, coupled with a goalless draw at Norwich, had represented a definite blip in City’s season, and their quest for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies, while also raising questions about Pellegrini’s tactical acumen.

The manner in which City knocked Chelsea out of the cup, therefore, appeared to answer a number of those questions about manager and players alike even if there is little time or opportunity for City personnel to savour the moment.