Settle for silver

would surely still have won a match they dominated.

If United just about kept City at bay to the break, they were undone early in the second half when Aguero fired home City’s second.

Jesse Lingard, guilty of sloppy play in the centre circle, was dispossessed by Bernardo Silva. He slid the ball forward to Aguero, who shared a neat one-two with Riyad Mahrez before peeling off around the right side and crashing the ball high just inside De Gea’s near post.

The goal was from the same angle and at the same end as his famous winner against QPR in 2012 and while this title race still has plenty to run, there is a building belief here at the Etihad that the outcome next May will be the same.

United jolted that feeling of invincibility when Romelu Lukaku, introduced just before the hour, won a penalty with pretty much his first touch, Ederson bringing him down. Martial made no mistake from the spot. If that gave United some hope, it was slowly extinguished. City’s third goal came from substitute Gundogan, who was picked out by Bernardo Silva in acres of space around United’s penalty spot.

Given the time to trap the ball, almost as though he expected the assistant referee’s flag to go up for offside, he calmly slotted home under De Gea.

Payback for United spoiling City’s title celebration party last April achieved, the invites to the next one sent out.

MAN CITY (4-3-3): Booked: Goals: NEXT UP: