It's less than a month since Pep Guardiola said that "perfection doesn't exist in football". At half-time at the Etihad on Wednesday around 50,000 Manchester City supporters would have disagreed with him, for once.
This was City scaling heights that might have felt unimaginable, but in truth, they've also felt like it's been coming. Guardiola's side have spluttered through much of this season, searching for something, lacking an edge, too many "happy flowers". Suddenly, they've come alive.
The only flowers they should be seeing now are the ones thrown onto an arena after those present have witnessed majesty. This was football in its purest form. It was breathtaking. It deserved the garlands.
