As Pep Guardiola celebrates at last confirming such a comprehensive Premier League title, there were some figures in the Manchester City hierarchy celebrating with a quieter sense of satisfaction. That’s because they couldn’t help thinking how much this meant to the Catalan himself, how much it vindicated him - and not just because of what happened in the Champions League, or even against Manchester United. It went deeper than that, and further back than that. It went to how very different things were just over a year ago.

The roots of such record-breaking brilliance are not just found in record-breaking expenditure, but also Guardiola previously suffering by far the worst results of his career.

City CEO Ferran Soriano and chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak see this season as the first reward for investment in a manager and his idea, as much as an investment in so many transfer fees. That is the wider story of the style of this league victory. It is also a victory for that idea.

Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions Show all 29 1 /29 Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions Who are the greatest Premier League champions? The Independent's Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney runs through his list of greatest Premier League winning sides. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 28. Blackburn Rovers 1994-95 Points per game: 2.12 Other trophies: none Another win that is memorable for the events that led to it and the unique identity of the winners, rather than what they did. That an Alan Shearer-powered Blackburn Rovers lost on the last day but still won the league said a lot about their quality, but also about how dramatic this campaign was. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 27. Manchester United 2000-01 Points per game: 2.11 Other trophies: none Still too good for England, but the signs were there that United’s treble team were no longer as good as they had been, in what was maybe Ferguson’s most forgettable title win. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 26. Manchester United 1992-93 Points per game: 2 Other trophies: none United’s first in 26 years, as illustrated by just how many moments of doubt they suffered before pretty much learning how to win the league on the job. This was really United’s most emotional wins, rather than their most impressive. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 25. Manchester United 1996-97 Points per game: 1.97 Other trophies: none The Class of 92 were coming into their own, but still not quite the top-class group they would become. It just wasn’t a very high-class season, as the challengers - and retiring Eric Cantona - all faded. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 24. Leicester City 2015-16 Points per game: 2.13 Other trophies: none One of football’s great stories and achievements, and a genuinely fine team when fully functioning, but that doesn’t necessarily make them close to the greatest champions. It still feels like they needed a thousand things to fall into place at exactly the same time, in a way other title-winners would not have. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 23. Manchester United 2012-13 Points per game: 2.34 Other trophies: none Ferguson’s final statement, as he expressly signed the free-scoring Robin van Persie to win the title. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 22. Manchester United 2010-11 Points per game: 2.1 Other trophies: none One of those campaigns when Ferguson had so clearly perfected the rhythm of winning titles. This was far from a brilliant United side in what was a generally underwhelming Premier League campaign, but it was one still able to reach the Champions League final too. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 21. Manchester United 1999-2000 Points per game: 2.4 Other trophies: none United’s 1999 Champions League win had put them onto another level, and well above the rest of the Premier League, but this was almost like Chelsea 2005-06 in that it all felt too easy to really push the side to their best. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 20. Manchester United 2002-03 Points per game: 2.18 Other trophies: none United’s grittiest title win of the Premier League era, as they really ground it out with Arsenal, at the height of the Ferguson-Wenger rivalry. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 19. Manchester City 2013-14 Points per game: 2.34 Other trophies: League Cup So often supreme to watch, and maybe played the best football that season, but the way that Liverpool collapsed and Chelsea lost a lead fosters the feeling that they didn’t quite drive to the title in the way the 2011-12 team did. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 18. Manchester United 1995-96 Points per game: 2.16 Other trophies: FA Cup The most famous run-in, and the most entertaining, as Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel and Roy Keane helped a group of kids magnificently mature over the course of a double campaign. The oddity was that, as defining as this season became, it was arguably a team between eras. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 17. Chelsea 2014-15 Points per game: 2.37 Other trophies: League Cup Never budged in the table, but only because were forced to budge in approach, remarkably going from a brilliant open side to a very closed one. There was a slight element of crawling over the line, and signs of what was to come. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 16. Manchester United 1993-94 Points per game: 2.19 Other trophies: FA Cup Ferguson’s most muscular United, as perfectly displayed by how they were the only side other than Chelsea 2014-15 to never move from top spot once in the season. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 15. Chelsea 2005-06 Points per game: 2.4 Other trophies: none A team whose very strength actually maybe took a little off their edge, certainly in terms of perception. Mourinho’s first Chelsea were by that point so much better than everyone else that it made the race a foregone conclusion, but maybe dulled them for both the foregone conclusion of the run-in and the cups. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 14. Manchester United 2006-07 Points per game: 2.34 Other trophies: none Maybe Ferguson’s most thrilling attacking team, and the one that heralded his return to the very top. United were facing one of the most physically intimidating and domineering champions ever in Chelsea, so to best them with such exuberant football was all the more impressive. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 13. Manchester City 2011-12 Points per game: 2.34 Other trophies: none So nearly threw it away on more than one occasion, but that only made their eventual win all the more impressive, and famously spectacular. Their points haul is also hugely creditable for first-time champions, not least for how it saw them hold off all the title experience of a Ferguson United. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 12. Chelsea 2016-17 Points per game: 2.44 Other trophies: FA Cup final This was hyped as one of the most competitive Premier Leagues ever given it had its finest ever collection of managers so, whatever about the debate regarding the lack of European football, it reflects very well on this Chelsea that they have ultimately won it so easily and so early. That cannot be talked around that easily. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 11. Chelsea 2009-10 Points per game: 2.26 Other trophies: FA Cup The top-scoring team in Premier League history, who roared to a double with so many rampant, but the only lingering question is whether they quite had top opposition. United had not signed well after the departures of Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, while Liverpool fell apart. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 10. Arsenal 1997-98 Points per game: 2.05 Other trophies: FA Cup One of the great title comebacks, from one of the great football revolutions. Wenger’s transformation of Arsenal’s old guard saw them go into overdrive towards the end of the season and win 10 in a row, including a double. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 9. Arsenal 2001-02 Points per game: 2.29 Other trophies: FA Cup A beautifully balanced team, and one that went on a brutally devastating run to sweep all competition away. These were the double-winners that claimed 13 league wins in a row and made it 14 the following season, while also clinching the title away to Manchester United and providing Arsene Wenger with the psychological seed for the Invincible season. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 8. Manchester United 2008-09 Points per game: 2.37 Other trophies: League Cup Not quite as commanding as the previous season, as illustrated by how they just fell in the Champions League final and also recorded fewer points in a more stuttering campaign, but showed immense reserve to respond to Liverpool’s surge by claiming seven runs in a row in the run-in to also win the title. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 7. Arsenal 2003-04 Points per game: 2.37 Other trophies: none An utterly divine side, and Arsenal’s greatest… but also one responsible for one of football’s great ironies. Arsene Wenger’s best team famously and supremely went unbeaten in the domestic league season, only to then lose the biggest game of all - the Champions League quarter-final - to a team a few miles away in Chelsea. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 6. Manchester United 1998-99 Points per game: 2.08 Other trophies: Champions League, FA Cup Perhaps the most entertaining champions of all, but that is oddly the only reason they are not top of this list, despite topping the three major competitions that season - including the continent. They were not necessarily the best Premier League champions, but the most resilient; the most resolute. Unlike United 2007-08 or Chelsea 2004-05, this United were a team oddly easy to get at, but that weakness made them great and made them entertaining because of how many spectacular comebacks it brought. Their return of 79 points is actually surprisingly low, but was just something else they overcame to reach the ultimate heights. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 5. Manchester City 2018-19 Points per game: 2.58 Other trophies: League Cup and an FA Cup final to come They rattled off 14 successive victories to close out the season and deny a Liverpool side able to put up 97 points - which would have been enough to win the championship in any other season in English football history but the last two seasons. Pep Guardiola's side were relentless in marching down Jurgen Klopp's side. Their depth has seen them through: Kevin de Bruyne's contribution has been minimal, while Riyad Mahrez, signed for £60m last summer, has struggled at times. They simply would not be denied. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 4. Chelsea 2004-05 Points per game: 2.5 Other trophies: League Cup They weren’t quite invincible, but they often felt untouchable. Whatever about all the debate about Jose Mourinho now, there could be no debate about the overwhelming quality of his first Premier League champions. This Chelsea recorded the highest ever points-per-game record in English history, and simply never looked like they were going to be caught. So many games were so well controlled, as was the destination of the trophy. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 3. Manchester City 2017-18 Points per game: 2.63 Other trophies: League Cup A record-breaking season that saw City reach new magisterial heights under the genius of Pep Guardiola. After struggling to adapt during the Catalan's first season in charge, Guardiola's ideas finally came to fruition in the 2017/18 season in which City blew their rivals out of the water, ending the campaign on 100 points - 19 ahead of second-placed United. Utterly dominant and supreme, from start to finish, City were an expression of near perfection. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 2. Manchester United 2007-08 Points per game: 2.29 Other trophies: Champions League With one of the finest defences England has ever seen, with Cristiano Ronaldo reaching another level, and with the way the Chelsea team they held off were also beaten in the Champions League final, this was probably Sir Alex Ferguson’s most complete United side. They were thereby probably the Premier League’s most complete champions, too. Getty Miguel Delaney ranks all the Premier League champions 1. Liverpool 2019-20 Points per game: 2.77 Other trophies: Uefa Super Cup, Fifa Club World Cup They were never once off the top, which is one of many reasons they just can’t be off the top here. The main reasons are those 27 wins from 30 games. There has, quite simply, never been a level of dominance like it. There may of course be wider economic reasons for that, but the fact they ended up 20-plus and 40-plus points ahead of wealthier rivals means they just have to be ahead of everyone here. Add to that they were defending European champions, and it’s difficult to take anything away from this Liverpool. They’re just much less fallible than everyone else. Getty

While a league title should always have been the minimum expectation for the amount of money City’s Abu Dhabi hierarchy have backed Guardiola with, what could not have reasonably been expected was the massive gap between the newly-crowned 2017-18 champions and all of their wealthy rivals. That’s a massive gap in terms of points, performance and - most ominously - the very sophistication of the football.

The genuine feeling is that the three-game dip at the start of April, and the slight diminishment of how they finished the campaign, really doesn’t take away from 10 months of magnificence.

The reality is that manufacturing a gap as chasmic as that took more than money. It took the capability to really maximise that money, and a deeper idea. It also took a lot of confidence, faith and stubborn belief.

That was what Guardiola radiated, and there are a number of specific stories from that difficult winter of 2016-17 that spell this out.

Guardiola's lowest point came at the end of 2016 (Getty)

City were then in a spell of form that would see them lose four of eight games, and also concede four goals in separate fixtures against Leicester City and Everton. It was a far cry from the runs of wins they have so effortlessly put together this season, while so repeatedly and exhilaratingly putting the ball in the net.

It was also a far cry from the way Guardiola is currently feted.

Aside from facing such poor results for the first time in his career, he was also facing very pointed questions for the first time. His media comments were not met with studied appreciation of a superior football mind, but instead bemused wonder, especially when he came out with lines like “what is tackles?”

It was how City defended, however, that was causing the most problems. The decision to replace Joe Hart with Claudio Bravo had looked a disaster. In front of the greatly suffering new goalkeeper, the highly expensive John Stones was trying to play the type of expansive football that Guardiola demanded but only seemed to keep getting caught out with high-profile mistakes. Some of the most influential figures at the club were at that point even admitting to doubts about why they spent so much on Leroy Sane. Guardiola was insistent to them the German would turn out brilliantly, but the hierarchy also saw this was far from a brilliant time for the manager.

The Claudio Bravo signing did not work out as hoped (Getty)

They could see how much this was paining him, how he was suffering some “low lows”, how highly he was scrutinising absolutely everything about his work. If Guardiola is an “artist”, as Khaldoon describes him, he at that point only looked like a tortured one. The Catalan even privately admitted he may have underestimated that much-debated “competitiveness” of the Premier League, mostly as regards how energy-sapping the schedule is, and how that didn’t give him time to do any proper coaching.

It didn’t, crucially, lead to any personal doubts about how he coached. Instead, Guardiola only doubled down. Rather than adapt, he was going to go in the opposite direction, and even more adhesively stick to his principles. He was determined.

Soriano and Khaldoon believe that, in that sense, the disappointing first season might have been the best thing that happened. They really do see it as the key to this title win, and to how emphatic it was.

​Guardiola was still going to need to be ruthlessly decisive himself if he wasn’t going to adapt, but there was no doubt about that either. That started at the back. Guardiola had to upgrade on Bravo with the same swift brutality he had upgraded on Hart.

There was sympathy for Bravo - as was to be intimated when the manager insisted on sticking with him and so praising him for the League Cup win. Guardiola’s theory was that Bravo had suffered from something the Catalan thinks unique to goalkeepers. The City boss believes that if their first game in a big opposition stadium is a bad one, something goes in their mind, and it is very difficult to recover from. Bravo suffered such a bad one at Old Trafford in September 2016, and didn’t look right for the rest of that season. He could barely make a save. Ederson has been the opposite. He has barely made anything close to an error, and one of his stand-out moments of the season was the effective game- and title-clinching late double stop in the 2-1 win back at Old Trafford in December. That was the win over United that was really won the league.

Ederson was also the opposite in terms of profile, something that is relevant to the wider debate over how much City have spent. Not much of it has been spent on established stars. Indeed, when Guardiola and director of football Txiki Begiristain put Ederson’s name to some of City’s main decision-makers, eyebrows were raised as they had never heard of him. Guardiola and Begiristain were insistent, however, that all of their scouting and analytics had emphasised that the then 23-year-old was “perfect” for how they wanted to play. So it has proved. Ederson’s record £35m fee is now seen as a bargain.

Kyle Walker has established himself as one of the top right-backs in the country (Getty)

No one would quite say that the £130m spent on full-backs Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Danilo was a bargain, but that just represented more extreme decisiveness. Guardiola knew his system just wouldn’t work in the same way with full-backs no longer capable of the physical power he required. It is too important a position.

This also raises another important point about the money, and the manner it’s used. City’s win is far from just a case of Guardiola putting them out on the pitch and letting them play. He by contrast looked to improve on every single little detail in what is a grand overarching plan.

Having introduced the squad to his vision of how a team should move in his first season, and getting them to try and comprehend the conceptualised map of a football pitch with 20 different zones to move between, Guardiola immediately began his second summer by concentrating on building play from the back. That was the main focus of preseason.

Guardiola has worked closely with Stones (Getty)

Players were told to never, ever kick it long from the back - even when under intense pressure. This is possibly something under-appreciated in this victory.

It also involved a lot of players having to learn a new way, and in some cases overturn everything they knew about the game.

Stars like the peerless Kevin De Bruyne believe the effects of this really began to show around February 2017, but it really finished coming together in September, and with one big win. That, coincidentally and symbolically enough given how the campaign ended, was over Liverpool. They were the true beginning and the end.

In the build-up to that 5-0 and even right up until the second goal, there had still been some holes in the City side, gaps in their understanding, and a few too many remaining breaks in their play. The debate over how that match would have gone had Sadio Mane not been sent off touched on this.

De Bruyne has been peerless at the heart of everything City have done well (Getty)

The answer to that will never be known. What is very definitely known is how City benefitted from what happened next, but not just in terms of the greater space that brought a 5-0 win. There was also the understanding gleaned from that 5-0 win, and the ability to now very transparently see how Guardiola’s grand plan worked. That was what the greater space of that game really brought; that greater final comprehension.

Knowledge of Guardiola’s ideas - particularly the 20-zone map of a pitch and how to move within it - was now second nature to the City squad, but was boosted by a key second quality: full and unwavering confidence in those ideas.

In real visible terms on the pitch, it meant the following tactical approach. Technically perfect controllers like De Bruyne and the sublime David Silva would command the centre of the pitch and so much opposition attention, while two of the wide players - either the wingers like Raheem Sterling or wing-backs like Walker - would go very wide to take the other side’s full-backs with them and create a space outside the opposing central defenders. The two wide players who didn’t go wide would then move into that space, giving those midfield controllers an abundance of potential passing options... and that for controllers like De Bruyne and Silva who are capable of an abundance of different types of divine passes. It was precision, with pace, with proper organisation and then emboldened by the most wondrous imagination.

Silva has been outstanding throughout City's title-winning campaign (Getty)

This was the source of so many moments where De Bruyne would play what seemed an impossibly threaded through ball, and so many goals that involved close-range finishes after short passes and looked like they belonged on a five-a-side pitch rather than a Premier League game.

This was similarly the source of so many games where City would effortlessly but effervescently pull teams apart with moves that seemed to just spin the opposition out of control, and so many high-scoring thrashings: the 6-0 away to Watford; the 5-0 over Crystal Palace; the 7-2 over Stoke City; the 4-1 over Tottenham Hotspur; the 5-1 over Leicester City.

It was also the source of that 18-game winning run, the longest that English football has ever seen. That wasn’t all the City hierarchy were seeing either.

Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Show all 24 1 /24 Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end City's unbeaten run ended at last Liverpool finally ended Manchester City's 22-match unbeaten run by winning at Anfield. Getty Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Brighton 0 Manchester City 2 BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12: Sergio Aguero of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City at the Amex Stadium on August 12, 2017 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 1 Everton 1 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 21: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Everton at Etihad Stadium on August 21, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2 BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - AUGUST 26: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester City at Vitality Stadium on August 26, 2017 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 5 Liverpool 0 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 09: Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City scores his sides third goal past Simon Mignolet of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Watford 0 Manchester City 6 WATFORD, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 16: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides sixth goal during the Premier League match between Watford and Manchester City at Vicarage Road on September 16, 2017 in Watford, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 5 Crystal Palace 0 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Leroy Sane of Manchester City scores his sides first goal past Wayne Hennessey of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace at Etihad Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Chelsea 0 Manchester City 1 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 30: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on September 30, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Victoria Haydn/Manchester City FC via Getty Images) Manchester City FC via Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 7 Stoke City 2 Getty Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 3 Burnley 0 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: Bernardo Silva of Manchester City is challenged by Nick Pope of Burnley to concede a penalty during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Burnley at Etihad Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end West Brom 2 Manchester City 3 WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City scores his sides third goal past Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Manchester City at The Hawthorns on October 28, 2017 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Manchester City FC/Manchester City FC via Getty Images) Manchester City FC via Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 3 Arsenal 1 Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on November 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Leicester 0 Manchester City 2 LEICESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 18: Kevin De Bruyne (3rd L) of Manchester City celebrates scoring his side's second goal with his team mates during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Manchester City at The King Power Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Victoria Haydn/Man City via Getty Images) Man City via Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Huddersfield 1 Manchester City 2 HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 26: Sergio Aguero of Manchester City scores the first Manchester City goal during the Premier League match between Huddersfield Town and Manchester City at John Smith's Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Huddersfield, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 2 Southampton 1 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 29: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Southampton at Etihad Stadium on November 29, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 2 West Ham 1 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: David Silva of Manchester City scores his sides second goal past Adrian of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham United at Etihad Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester United 1 Manchester City 2 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 10: David Silva of Manchester City scores the first Manchester City goal past David De Gea of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on December 10, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Swansea City 0 Manchester City 4 SWANSEA, WALES - DECEMBER 13: David Silva of Manchester City scores his sides first goal past Lukasz Fabianski of Swansea City during the Premier League match between Swansea City and Manchester City at Liberty Stadium on December 13, 2017 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 4 Tottenham Hotspur 1 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium on December 16, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 4 Bournemouth 0 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 23: Sergio Aguero of Manchester City scores his sides third goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and AFC Bournemouth at Etihad Stadium on December 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Newcastle United 0 Manchester City 1 NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 27: Raheem Sterling of Manchester City scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St. James Park on December 27, 2017 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 0 LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 31: Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City reacts after injuring himself during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Selhurst Park on December 31, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Manchester City 3 Watford 1 Manchester City's Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero (2R) scores their third goal past Watford's Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes (L) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Watford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on January 2, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Manchester City's unbeaten run finally comes to an end Liverpool 4 Manchester City 1 Premier League games unbeaten: 22 AFP/Getty Images

They were seriously impressed by the drastic improvement in youngsters like Sane and Sterling - still in their very early twenties yet now firing one of the very best attacks in Europe - but most struck by the effect on the band of players aged between 28 and 32 like Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi. As crucial as they were to the overall plan, they also benefitted from specific individual improvements. Fernandinho was shown movements and little tricks Guardiola himself excelled at when he played in that pivot position, while Otamendi did a lot of work on winning second balls in both boxes.

Their importance reflects something else that Guardiola has concentrated on: the creation of a collective identity, of something they all feel a key part of. Conscious of the criticism that City could just be a collection of excellent expensive players, Guardiola wants them to stand for something more. He has wanted to create more of a “narrative” around the side, and have the players also [open itals] feel [close itals] they stand for something bigger.

This has been discussed with the sports psychologists, and emphasised with specially commissioned media. It has been reinforced by the repeated stressing that any team decision is merit-based. This is why there have been “no noses out of joint" when players have been left out. As one club source says, “everyone has been made feel a part of the project. Guardiola has cultivated an environment of generosity and respect.” It says much that even any ego Aguero might have had has been tempered. It’s also probably the first time at club level where he’s felt a member of a group, rather than one of the leaders responsible for carrying the team.

Guardiola has built a winner (AFP/Getty Images)

This is why Guardiola insists the players go out on the pitch together, leave together and celebrate together.

This could be particularly seen in that victory over Liverpool, the key win at Old Trafford, the two at the Etihad over Tottenham and Chelsea… and now for the title itself.

The team never bent because Guardiola never bent, and it is why there are no great concerns over the end to the season that will someway caveat this joy.