Bookings for timewasting, celebrating winning free kicks, the manager arguing over exactly where opponents ought to take throw ins from. This is not the Manchester City we once knew and not the Manchester City that Pep Guardiola ideally wants.
Yet it is the Manchester City in situ right now, one sitting two points adrift of champions Liverpool and another further back of leaders Arsenal. If that scenario was presented to Guardiola as he appeared forlorn and lacking ideas as they resembled a deck of cards at Brighton five weeks ago, he's more than taking it.