When Fernandinho succumbed to injury during the second half of a tetchy Manchester derby in April, a high-ranking City official leaned over in his seat and said, “Watch the game change now”.



It was Leroy Sane who replaced the influential Brazilian, but the switch that prompted the premonition was much more subtle; Ilkay Gundogan’s move to the back of midfield was the one that would turn the tide in City’s favour.



Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff love Gundogan. A player who often suffers from comparisons to David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, two regular City match-winners, Gundogan usually does the stuff that is a little harder to spot for us amateurs.



As City marched towards the title last season, the narrative was set: Fernandinho is the best option they have at the back of midfield and any replacement is simply doing as much as they can to reach his level.



What the City official knew, and noted back on that rainy night...