A 15-point lead, 21 victories in a row, a club record-tying 28 games unbeaten.
The extraordinary numbers are stacking up for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s winning machine powers to the Premier League title and – whisper it – a potential quadruple.
Guardiola particularly liked what he saw in the 4-1 win over Wolverhampton on Tuesday (Wednesday NZT).
Heading into the final 10 minutes at Etihad Stadium, City’s players were in the unusual position of being held, 1-1, but there was no panic. Instead, they just stepped up a gear, overwhelmed Wolves with their pressing and scored three goals.
“When you have a run of 20 wins, you’re not always going to win 3-0, 4-0, 5-0,” Guardiola said.
“So that is why how you recover from difficult situations is what I’m looking for.”
Gabriel Jesus scored in the 80th minute and again from close range with virtually the last kick of the game after Riyad Mahrez had made it 3-1, capping a period of incessant pressure by City after Wolves equalised in the 61st minute through Conor Coady’s header – the visitors’ first touch in City’s box.
Leander Dendoncker had given City the lead for the first time with an own-goal in the 15th minute.
Another test passed by City in their march to reclaiming the title from Liverpool, with Wolves having proved a tough opponent for City in recent years – winning their meetings home and away last season, for example.
City’s class of 2020-21 is made of sterner stuff this season, though. The team have won every game they have played in all competitions since December 19 and now has 15 victories in a row in the league.
Their unbeaten streak stretched to 28 matches _ tying a club record also achieved under Guardiola in 2017.
City haven’t trailed for a single minute in any of their last 19 league games.
Asked how impressed he was by City’s recent run, Guardiola said: “Man United” – referring to City’s next opponent at the weekend.
Pressed to expand, he said: “We talk about records and everything we have done in the league when it is over.”
And it nearly is over. Second-place Manchester United can restore the 12-point gap to City by beating Crystal Palace on Wednesday (Thursday NZT) but don’t have the consistency being shown by Guardiola’s side, who are also in the final of the League Cup, the quarterfinals of the FA Cup and lead 2-0 after the first leg of their matchup with Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League’s round of 16.
City have players in supreme form, too.
