Hopes of a potential giantkilling obviously inspired the decision to switch Manchester City's trip to League Two side Swindon to a Friday night for the TV cameras.
And the increasingly alarming news this week, that Pep Guardiola, his assistant Juanma Lillo, seven first-team players and a host of academy youngsters, plus 12 more of the Blues ' backroom staff are all isolating due to Covid, increased that hope among the TV executives and those who tuned in.
But City are simply not the kind of giants who get killed these days, not since they imploded on a night of trouble and laxity at Wigan four years ago.
They still managed a strong starting XI in this FA Cup thrid round tie, garnished by the irrepressible talent of Cole Palmer, and within 15 minutes it was clear this was going to be a case of the big Blue juggernaut rumbling inexorably into the next round, and then turning its attentions to next week's league crunch with Chelsea.
And Guardiola's only concession to youth, the inclusion of Cole Palmer, did little to encourage the Robins that this might be their night- in fact he gave notice that he is absolutely not out of place in this all-star line-up.
The Wythenshawe lad lit up the first half by tormenting his full back, teeing up Bernardo Silva for the opener and treating the fans to the twinkling skills that lit up Premier League 2 last season.
Palmer brilliantly teed up Bernardo Silva for the opener, and after Gabriel Jesus capitalised on the home side's increasing nervousness to make it 2-0 at half time, the result was in no doubt.
After the apparent devastation that Covid wreaked on the squad this week, with 14 staff members and seven first-team players plus an undisclosed number of academy youngsters all forced to isolate, the Blues were eventually able to field an extremely strong starting Xi, and pack the bench with kids plus Aymeric Laporte and Scott Carson.
Borrell had said that the team had virtually picked itself - well it did a pretty good job!
As a result City were as sharp as the Arctic cold at the County Ground, quickly quelling the cup fever which the visit of the reigning Premier League champions had spread.
Any concerns that Pep Guardiola's absence could have an effect, as it did when the Blues, under Mikel Arteta, lost to Lyon in the Champions League in 2018, were soon dispelled, too.
These players know their jobs, and Borrell was able to stroll around his technical area, hands in pockets to keep off the cold, and make the occasional polite suggestion.
Bernardo was employed as the false nine and wasted a couple of early chances that he would normally gobble up - but in between he had an unmissable opportunity laid on a plate for him by the talented feet of Cole Palmer.
He engineered a one-on-one with left back Ellis Iandolo, tricked his way past him with a smart stepover and switch of feet that utterly bamboozled the Swindon man, and then drilled a cross that left Bernardo with a simple finish.
That quietened the home crowd further, and with the Blues taking full control and Palmer running through his repertoire, t the delight of the travelling fans, more goals were inevitable.
The second came from Swindon's own nervousness coupled with their manager's intention to play out from the back.
hey tried it, Kevin De Bruyne pounced and his pass sent Jesus through to tuck the ball past keeper Lewis Ward.
City were relaxed to the point of casualness at times, and that almost afforded the Robins a route back into the game, not least when Zack Steffen mis-directed a pass straight to Harry McKirdy, who looked like he had stepped out of a time machine from the seventies with his long hair and disregard for shin pads.
He attempted to fire the ball back over the head of Steffen, but the USA international keeper was relieved that the shot was underhit and he could reach up to pluck it from the sky.
City kept their foot on the Swindon throat after the break and within the hour they were three up, Kevin De Bruyne paid a painful price as he took a hefty blow to the head to earn a free kick.
As he wandered off in a daze to have it looked at, Ilkay Gundogan had spotted a flaw in the Robins' defensive wall set-up, and he curled the 20-yard free kick into the bottom corner, with keeper Ward startled.
City's dominance allowed Borrell the chance to give James McAtee the final 25 minutes of the game, and he did not disappoint, operating in the tight areas around the box with a cool head and clear thought.
The home fans finally had something to cheer with 12 minutes left, when Rodri and Joao Cancelo were guilty of over-casual football on halfway and the Robins raced onto the counter.
With Cancelo out of position, Harry McKirdy raced into the space on the City lefr and drilled a low shot past Steffen to give the hone support something to cheer - and awaken fresh hope in the overly optimistic.
