The problem is that Mateo Kovacic’s ball-carrying has often led City into danger this season: the Croatian’s natural instinct is to drive forward and play a killer pass, but when that goes awry, he invariably leaves a big space behind him that nobody else is able to fill, and opponents duly made hay on the counter.

Manchester City saved arguably their most important business of the winter transfer window to the final day, with the signing of Nico Gonzalez from Porto capping off an excellent month for City off the pitch.