An FA Cup fifth-round assignment at Championship strugglers Peterborough United didn’t really feel like ideal preparation for 187th Manchester derby.
Having said that, Manchester City faced a team packing defenders behind the ball and relying on punted balls in the general direction of pacey attackers.
So, you know, insert your own joke.
Pep Guardiola’s starting front three did feel significant in terms of the weekend, however. Gabriel Jesus and Jack Grealish returned to the starting line-up for the first time since injury lay-offs, joining Riyad Mahrez in attack.
Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden - who was handed a rare midfield outing in Tuesday's 2-0 win - feel like lock-ins for the derby, meaning Jesus, Grealish and Mahrez are effectively battling it out for one spot.
Let’s have a look at how each of them made their case.
Gabriel Jesus
Guardiola has frequently lauded Jesus’ ability to press from the front and he offered an early demonstration, intercepting a clearance from dawdling Posh goalkeeper Steven Benda.
Unfortunately for Jesus, who last scored in the Premier League in September, he couldn't ask any further questions of Benda before the break. He was unable to bring down a raking Joao Cancelo pass and get an acrobatic attempt off in first-half stoppage time.
The same combination linked up in the 50th minute, although the cross was too high and Jesus could only head harmlessly over.
He came closer in the 67th minute as Foden slid a measured ball into his path. Jesus used his strength to turn his marker but Benda saved with his legs.
The Brazilian performed in a typically tireless fashion but goals from each of his attack colleagues mean bench duty on Sunday feels very likely.
Jack Grealish
The Peterborough fans were so wrapped up in a bouncing FA Cup atmosphere that they sometimes forgot to boo Grealish.
He kept possession expertly and knitted together attacks down the left channel smartly with Ilkay Gundogan and captain-for-the-night Oleksandr Zinchenko during a frustrating first half.
One glorious piece of skill from Grealish sent tenacious right-back Joe Ward hurtling off the field and the England international’s sublime dribbling skill was to the fore in the 31st minute, although the finish was lacking.
As the game opened up with City ahead, Grealish showed wonderful poise carrying the ball forward to play in Mahrez, who should have scored his second of the night.
That honour fell to the £100million man himself, who was the beneficiary as Foden began to pull the strings, bringing a gorgeous pass under control with a sumptuous first touch to set up a simple finish.
Grealish almost doubled his tally in the closing stages, tormenting substitute Bali Mumba before drawing an excellent save from Benda. It was nice to see some of his familiar sparkle return.
Riyad Mahrez
A decent chunk of fans would say 18 goals in 31 matches before tonight should have removed Mahrez from this conversion. Make that 19 in 32 now, and the no-backlift finish to break the deadlock was the sort of nonchalant brilliance we’ve come to expect from the Algeria star.
Mahrez did all he could to pick the lock before then, with Gundogan failing to head home a dinked first-half cross.
His eye for goal and capacity to engineer something in tight spaces against packed defences means Mahrez gives this strikerless team something no one else can.
It feels like a toss-up between Grealish’s ball-hogging capabilities and Mahrez’s game-changing qualities for the derby. The fact this is already Riyad’s most prolific goalscoring season of his career should not have escaped Guardiola’s attention.
Who do you think should be City's starting front three in the derby? Follow the City Is Ours editor Dom Farrell on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
