Man City tactics: How Pep Guardiola went through many systems to find the best lineup

Looking back, the clues to this ultimate order have been there all season.

Doku’s one-on-one threat on the left has been requiring teams to double down on him since August. O’Reilly’s tours began to bear fruit as early as September.

Silva’s intelligent pressing and attacking build-up helped mitigate City’s weak areas from November onwards.

Haaland and Semenyo moved up the pitch while Nunes stepped forward to provide the cross, provided by the two-footed Shirkey, leaving City’s solutions unable to prepare.

Behind them, Khosanov’s pace provided City with a get out of jail free card as they maintained their high line.

Their journalism also developed. Guardiola tried several versions during the year before settling on one in which wingers press the midfielders while blocking passes wide, with Haaland and Cherke closing down the middle of the pitch. These roles suit the more physical wingers and protect the less defensive Haaland and Chirkey.

City were solid and Silva and Rodri swept all the second balls as well.

It is a common myth in football that “playing like Guardiola” creates a team that looks like Barcelona in 2009.

Guardiola admitted that he wins because of the players he has, which is partly down to City’s ability to spend big.

However, his ability to constantly reshape his lineup in response to the players he has available and the tactical trends of the league, remains unparalleled.