The whistle wasn't even fully out of the referee's lips before City started snapping passes.
With no signs of nervousness, they stepped into the match, stamping their authority in the midfield.
Kovacic, now wearing the responsibility Rodri usually shouldered, dropped into that deepest role.
He wasn't looking all that comfortable, but he looked functional.
Gvardiol immediately stepped into midfield from left-back, giving City their usual numerical flood as Stones tucked beside him to form the 3-back for City's backline.
De Bruyne found space between Rice and Odegaard like he had a map of their shadows while Matheus Nunes provided them with much needed with but, before Arsenal had even touched the ball, the first incision came.
Kovacic, Stones, De Bruyne.
The ginger pele ribboned a through ball that split Saliba and Gabriel just long enough to let Haaland lurch forward like a tank snapping to attention.
