Manchester City marched back to the top of the Premier League table with an emphatic 6-1 win over Southampton, one that not only displays just how good the defending champions were at the Etihad but also the disparity between themselves and the teams in the lower reaches of the division.
That thrashing in front of their own fans was not one in isolation though. Only recently, they made light work of Burnley on the way to winning 5-0, while the second weekend of this season saw them record another 6-1 success, with Huddersfield this time feeling the full force of City’s attack.
These results certainly show that City are not only playing some of the most attractive football anywhere on the continent at the moment, but they are also on course to be the first team to win back to back Premier League titles since Manchester United 2009.
It’s a point that is easily reinforced when you look at the current football betting markets; bet365 have Pep Guardiola’s men as 4/11 odds-on favourites to be crowned Premier League champions once more come next May.
At the same time though, and impressive as the aforementioned trio of home wins have been, it does perhaps beg the question as to whether City’s opposition need to be doing a lot more when they are squaring off against the likes of Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane.
Of course, with the talent that these two and their teammates have at their disposal, it is a statement that is rather easier said than done. However, you do get feeling recently that clubs such as Burnley and Southampton have lost their encounters with City before the opening whistle has been blown.
It’s almost a case of knowing they are going to lose and wondering just how many goals they will concede, a mentality that almost says ‘let’s just get this over and done with’. But is that the wrong approach to take? Let’s take Leicester City as a way on how it should be done.
During their phenomenal run to the 2016 title, there were so many occasions where they were viewed as the underdog, a status that arguably played right into the hands of Claudio Ranieri and his players. A perfect example would have been when the Foxes made a trip to the Etihad of their own.
An early February clash between the two sides saw Leicester win by three goals to one, a result that, arguably, with a third of that season still left to play, gave them the timely boost to go and kick on during the final few months and towards English football’s greatest ever achievement.
That game showed that belief and hunger go such a long way not just in football but in any sport, while, perhaps, if the teams that are currently travelling to the Etihad and getting handsomely beaten showed a little bit more courage and will to win, then there might be a few more upsets along the way.
Of course, no-one is suggesting that there is going to be another fairytale winning of the Premier League anytime soon, but there is no doubting that, for the competition’s own long-term health, it would be good if there weren’t so many one-sided results such as the ones we have recently witnessed.
Then again, maybe Manchester City really are that ruthless after all.
