Man City on top of the world in Saudi Arabia but Pep Guardiola will have one regret

There's a Blue Moon rising over the Red Sea. Three days before Christmas, on a steamy, sultry night in Jeddah, Manchester City conquered the world.

The Pep Guardiola era might well have peaked in Istanbul six months ago, but there is something romantic, something captivating about being declared champions of the world. This competition isn't difficult to win for European sides, especially ones as outstanding as this City team, but the real challenge is getting here. A 4-0 win against Fluminense was more taxing than Tuesday's semi-final, but Goodison will provide a tougher test.

But that isn't the point. This was Guardiola's 441st game in charge, a staggering number given he was never expected to last more than three or four seasons in Manchester. It took two pretty routine matches to be declared the best club side in the world, but seven years of industry and investment, seven years of obsessive coaching, seven years of ecstasy and agony, particularly in Europe, to reach the point where they sat looking down on the rest.

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As Guardiola had said a couple of times in Saudi Arabia, this competition - at least in this format - requires you to do "something exceptional" to get here. City did that last season. A history-equalling treble. This was the fruit of their labour, a chance to put the cherry on top of the icing on the cake.

Five trophies in 2023. Knowing Guardiola, he will return to Manchester, sit down for Christmas dinner, and curse the failure to beat Arsenal on penalties in the Community Shield. Five is great, but the joy of six is something else. That's the pursuit of perfection that