As Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions look to reinforce their position as the dominant force in Manchester, the Blues have sent the trophy into a Manchester United heartland hundreds of miles away where they are looking to capitalise on the stratospheric effect of their new superstar signing.
Erling Haaland, who came close to signing for the Reds in 2020 but brutally did not consider them this summer, has already obliterated doubts over his ability to cut it in English football with an astonishing 14 goals from his first 10 games.
Haaland is on a seven-match scoring run in all competitions going into Sunday’s derby while the only manager whose team has stopped him from scoring in the top flight - Scott Parker’s Bournemouth - has been sacked.
While English football tries to work out how to stop the 22-year-old, a gleeful Manchester City have reasons to celebrate off the pitch as well.