When does a blip become a slump? Pre-game, Pep Guardiola was asked this and pointed to Manchester City’s supreme run of success. Now, their past three matches have been lost for the first time since April 2018 under him so Saturday’s trip to Brighton is ­certainly about arresting the slide.

Two years ago, Rúben Amorim’s Sporting were cuffed aside 5-0 in a grand City show of power-football. This last home match of Manchester United’s incoming new manager, ended in him becoming to sections of the Red Devils faithful, at least, the “new Ferguson”, as he prophesied would occur should their cross-town rival be downed.