If Manchester City are ever to crack the Champions League, there will be more nights like this. Pep Guardiola's team were not at their engaging best but they still won the game.
If that sounds rather underwhelming then so be it. Down the years, that is how European Cups have been won. When you can't find top gear, make sure that you don't fall off the bike.
This was an interesting game, even if City did not reach recent stellar standards. Shakhtar Donetsk were game opposition and played some neat and incisive football in the first half.