Kane produced one of the performances of the season against Man City

It's a good job Manchester City had the title wrapped up weeks ago, otherwise this might have had them fidgeting nervously. Oh.

Pep Guardiola has been stressing that the so-called procession was actually no such thing — pointing at Liverpool's game in hand against Leeds on Wednesday — and very few were listening. Well, the lead could be cut to three points in midweek. Then we have a real title race, but didn't that always exist? Jurgen Klopp will have certainly thought so; anything less would be unusually defeatist.

City came from behind during that enthralling dash to the finish in 2019 and there is absolutely no reason why Liverpool cannot chase down similar ground. These are Europe's best two teams, after all, and it is a rivalry that should be cherished. Buckle up.

But Guardiola knew of the potential for twists, perplexed that City were being anointed champions so early by people who should know better.

'I never said the title race was over. It's normal,' he said.

'I said weeks ago we have to make a lot of points to be champions and this is what we will try to do.'

He predicted they needed approaching 96 points to lift a third crown in four years. He even warned on Friday that the law of averages meant Tottenham could not possibly lose four consecutive Premier League games.

Add in something of a strange voodoo where Spurs are concerned — City have won only one of the last six league meetings — and here you had a barmy, dramatic night when City snatched defeat at the death, events orchestrated by the man they were so desperate to sign last summer.

There will not be many better centre forward performances all season than Harry Kane's, leaving with a brace and having produced a stunning pass in the build-up to their