Over in Liverpool meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp can impose the high-intensity principle more readily on less famous players who have no recent winning tradition to point to in their defence. Klopp can also be spiky, indignant, but often draws back from it afterwards, as if to avoid damage and distractions.

Always in the background at the Etihad, though, was the grand project: the Barcelona-isation of Britain’s richest club. To make them attractive around the world, there had to be a beacon idea, and Guardiola was the visionary who would make it happen.

He may still be, but telling America’s NBC, “I am arriving at the end of my coaching career, of this I am sure,” and then treating routine questions as provocations hardly inspires confidence in his willingness to do the hard yards to be a winner at City. It indicates instead a “take it or leave it” mindset. Put it this way: did Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, United and Spurs enjoy his interviews after the Burnley game? You bet they did.

ITV need to push through and find the right balance

Racing is the toughest gig in sports broadcasting. The cognoscenti hate the idiots’ guide approach and the uninitiated are put off by experts speaking a private language. So where were ITV meant to pitch their show from Cheltenham on New Year’s Day after an absence of 32 years?

No good asking me, really, because I want jargon, detail, esoteric chat about how much this or that chaser has risen in the handicap since its win over an extended two and a half mile trip round Fakenham in yielding ground in the hands of a conditional jockey. See? There is enough in that sentence alone to send a virgin racegoer reeling off to the New Year sales instead.