Those who have been questioning why Pep Guardiola has been keen to recruit more players this January probably need to realise that the Manchester City manager is already thinking beyond winning the Premier League.
This is one domestic title that is already won. While all around him – in the form of teams like Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool – there is weakness, Guardiola’s team surges single-mindedly on. The gap at top of the table is fifteen points now but it may as well be fifty. City’s recent defeat at Liverpool was an inconvenience and nothing more.
But there is a bigger picture forming at City and surely Guardiola is not the only one to have seen it. Those who accused the City coach of merely seeking to stockpile players by trying to sign the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Riyad Mahrez have clearly taken no regard of a City injury list that continues to grow.
In terms of this game against West Brom, City found themselves walking down a one way street yet again. Only when Sergio Aguero scored late on to add to earlier efforts by Fernandinho and the imperious Kevin de Bruyne did the score line remotely begin to reflect the game.
West Brom, it must be said, were not overly-physical throughout. They were competitive and they had to be.
City were the better team from first minute to last. West Brom were organised and energetic but carried absolutely no threat. They didn’t have a single touch in the opposition penalty area during the whole of the first half.