Stop Neymar’s magic and it’s job done, City

LET’S get it out of the road first. Neymar dives, Neymar feigns injury, Neymar moans, Neymar poses.

He was on his way down well before Kyle Walker arrived with one half-hearted tackle, he worried about some sort of broken arm when he fell with all the force of a butterfly landing on a leaf, he asked for a penalty when Riyad Mahrez timed his intervention perfectly and grinned when pulling off one audacious flick.

He dives, he feigns injury, he moans, he poses.

At halftime, he even had his arm strapped, for effect probably.

But, boy, can Neymar play.

It is fair to say he has never had the most vibrant fan club here.

Many a phone-in has asked whether he is the most overrated world star of recent times.

A price tag of almost £200million brings relentless scrutiny – and Neymar has had that.

But the Brazilian says he is as happy as he has been for some time.

And no wonder. On the evidence of one half of this game, it looks like he is running the show.

When he dropped deep, he took two or three Manchester City players out of the game to free up room for

Angel Di Maria (below) and Kylian Mbappe.

The reason PSG were in charge of that first half is their outstanding creative talent, Neymar, seemed to get on the ball more comfortably than City’s outstanding talent, Kevin De Bruyne.

How that changed after the break.

And while the modern elite game is built on quick, sharp passing and high pressing, the ability to take on and beat an opponent is priceless.

And Neymar has that ability. Mauricio Pochettino seemed content to sit on their lead – and PSG paid a heavy penalty.

City will now be hot favourites to reach the final, but Pep Guardiola knows only too well that the odd moment of opposition magic could be fatal to those hopes.

And he knows only too well that Neymar can produce that magic.

But restrict him to diving, feigning, moaning and posing at the Etihad and the job will be as good as done.

IN A SWEAT Neymar had his moments but he suffered