"I feel in a lot of games, maybe we gave a bit too much importance to tactics and didn’t really pay attention much on behaviour of ourselves. Having that determination, desire, aggression. Simple things that are part of the game, but maybe sometimes you just think too much about positioning or whatever. You might forget other things that should be normal.

“In the last few games I see a certain change, especially that very uncomfortable game against Bournemouth in the FA Cup. The way they play – aggressive, physically strong – and the way we behave, especially after conceding, it was unbelievable.

"Maybe people don’t give much credit to that [togetherness] because people, especially in our society and also football society, tend to credit more a beautiful goal, beautiful assist, beautiful actions.

"They don’t credit anymore so much working for the team, having the right mentality, fighting for each other, staying close to each other, doing everything together. “Sometimes you maybe drift apart a bit from these things. But honestly I have to say since the international break in March, since we came back, I see an improvement in that area."

Ilkay Gundogan, Pep Guardiola's first signing at City, on April 12, pointing to the Bourne-cum-in-my-mouth game as the turning point in City's season.

This was Pep today:

"The Bournemouth game changed something."