Giant in goal has cured our uncertainty

To see just how Pep Guardiola has transformed Manchester City, we must cast our minds back a little over 12 months to the Old Trafford derby of 2016-17.

In that match, also won stylishly 2-1 by City (the only other occasion that United have conceded two goals in a home match under Jose Mourinho’s watch), City produced a first 40 minutes of pulverising possession football that seemed to underline they would be the season’s major force.

Then a ragged last 10 minutes of that first half told onlookers to hold their fire, as Claudio Bravo played kamikaze and the defence crumbled alarmingly.