No-one would have predicted Saturday's hero at Everton would be 20-year-old Nico O'Reilly, making his fourth league start. Against Villa it would be Matheus Nunes. It's another puzzle solved for Guardiola. Another solution found. It will be fascinating now to see if City can keep alive their hopes of domestic silverware alive.

Both sides pressed for a winner in the second half but the game looked like it was heading for a draw that would have arguably suited both sides, until a late, late Matheus Nunes goal sealed three vital points for Manchester City, a result that takes them up to third place.

The pace at the Etihad was frantic from the start as Marcus Rashford nearly scored inside the opening 17 seconds, but it was City who took the early lead as Bernardo Silva poked home Omar Marmoush’s pullback at the byline.