Pep Guardiola still tinkering, and failing, with his Chelsea lab experiments

Apart from Ederson and Ruben Dias, very few of the remaining nine players who were in this losing side will be in realistic contention for a starting berth in the Champions League final

Chelsea's Marcos Alonso scores the winning goal at the Etihad Stadium. Picture: Shaun Botterill/PA

As dress rehearsals go, this one ranked among the all-time worst as Pep Guardiola continued his policy of playing weakened teams against the most in-form opponent in the Premier League — and losing.

Instead of that desultory FA Cup semi-final defeat at Wembley against Chelsea three weeks ago, a loss that ended City’s quest for an unprecedented quadruple, this one simply delayed Guardiola being crowned champion for the third time in four years.