Ah, the Manchester City penalty curse. You thought they'd gotten over it, didn't you? Well, think again.
Over the past few years, City's struggles from the penalty spot have mystified Pep Guardiola and City fans alike. The Blues are one of the best club sides to ever play the game, made up of some of the world's best players and coached by a genius. So why do they struggle to score a free hit from 12 yards?
There was a feeling of inevitability about Gabriel Jesus' unsuccessful effort against Swindon Town on Friday. Despite the presence of both Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan on the pitch, players who while no penalty maestros have scored a few between them, Jesus was allowed to take responsibility.
In typical Jesus fashion, the 24-year-old stuttered during his run-up before stroking a tame penalty to Lewis Ward's right-hand side. The goalkeeper easily read the City man's intention and palmed the ball away.
It's undeniable that Jesus has an atrocious record when it comes to spot-kicks, having missed seven of the 11 he has taken in his career, including his last five (three for City and two for Brazil).
Of course, in the context of that match, the miss mattered little. Swindon pulled a goal back shortly after the penalty, but City soon restored their three-goal advantage courtesy of a brilliant Cole Palmer strike.
But with big games on the horizon for City - not least the visit of Chelsea next weekend - any more wastefulness from the spot could prove costly.
City looked to have overcome their fear of penalties in the first half of the season, with all six of their attempts converted. Raheem Sterling scored two of them, but it is Riyad Mahrez who has emerged as a reliable and even emphatic taker.
This season he has scored penalties against RB Leipzig, Club Brugge, Leicester and Arsenal, proving that he can handle the pressure in a variety of scenarios.
But with Mahrez unavailable for selection for the rest of the month due to his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria, City need to find an alternative option.
Guardiola's side know all too well how costly missing golden opportunities against Chelsea can be - Sergio Aguero's Panenka attempt in the league meeting last May allowed Chelsea to stay in the game and snatch a 2-1 win.
Should City be awarded a spot-kick on Saturday then it's fair to assume that Jesus won't be taking it. The question is, who will?
Who do you think should take City's penalties in Mahrez's absence? Follow our City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
