This was a contest for 31 minutes, and a fairly good one at that. Then Raheem Sterling sublimely beat Angus Gunn with the first goal of his hat-trick and, after that, any doubt over the outcome was purely for dreamers. Manchester City do not give games up from there and with every passing week the prospect of a title battle looks more remote.
Pep Guardiola may outwardly fear one but that would require his team to make a misstep, and then at least one more. They have taken 43 points from the last 45 available: it is not exciting fare for most onlookers outside their circle but it is controlled, clinical, consummate and often crushing. The margin of victory reflected their domination but they would not have been flattered to leave with even more.
