Pep Guardiola is not a man for predictions, so it was unusual to hear him confidently say that this title race would not come down to goal difference a little over a week ago.
Manchester City were trailing by a few at that point — but not any more. Nine unanswered goals later, they now stand four clear of Liverpool.
After the third they poured forward in search of more. A bit like they did before that five-minute catastrophe at the Bernabeu last week actually, although Guardiola might not want reminding.