Pep won't say it, so I will: Man City are the greatest Premier League team ever

Equally good in defense and attack, Guardiola has assembled a formidable squad that are blowing their top-flight rivals away
Manchester City dropped only 14 points last season on their way to England’s first ever 100-point top-flight total. So far in 2018-19, 15 of the 20 teams in the Premier League have dropped more than 14 points, including Manchester United.

It seemed impossible that City could improve on last season’s imperial march and yet the signs are that they have, even if their two Champions League games with Lyon have offered some hope that there is a way to subdue Pep Guardiola’s team.

After 13 games in 2017-18 City had two more points and two more goals - and an eight-point advantage over second place - but crucially for our understanding of how they’ve progressed, this season they’ve let in three goals fewer.

Incidentally, of the teams currently in the top four of the league, Chelsea’s position looks the least sustainable.

They have allowed more than twice as many big chances as City, and, for reasons no-one can truly explain, the opposition has contrived to miss 17 of them, with Kepa Arrizabalaga only saving twice. Their trouncing by Tottenham last weekend had been in the post for some time.

City, meanwhile, boasts the most accurate passer in the Premier League in John Stones (95% passing accuracy) and the player with the second most passes, behind Jorginho, in the form of Aymeric Laporte, with 1151 passes.