Pep Guardiola ushered his players over to the away supporters after the final whistle to join in the celebrations.
This was the night when it felt like Manchester City were all but crowned champions after a devastating and magnificent victory to keep their neighbours firmly in their place.
But it was also the night when Liverpool’s best hope disappeared as Jurgen Klopp has long had this date in the diary circled as to when City might slip up.
However, the hallmark of champions is how they react under pressure and City were never remotely in danger as they completely outclassed Manchester United with a ruthless reminder to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of how far behind they have fallen.
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Incredibly, this was the 28th time the leadership has changed hands this season, the battle between City and Liverpool must surely go down as the best title race of the modern era.
But you also feel this was the most decisive result of all because this was City’s game in hand, supposedly the toughest in their run-in and yet they breezed through it with another superb display of passing, movement and quality.
City have got Burnley, Leicester and Brighton to beat and then they will be crowned champions again, the first time they have retained the Premier League and that alone marks Guardiola’s side down as truly remarkable.
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Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane got the goals and, without doubt, City stepped up a gear after Sane came on as a substitute early in the second half after Fernandinho went off injured.
You have to look at United keeper David de Gea on both goals as the Spain No1 at his best saves both of them but has taken his eye off the ball quite literally.
United showed more heart and determination than on Sunday but that will only get you so far and if this was Paul Pogba trying to make up for what he called a “disgraceful” performance at Everton then his words are empty. Pogba was largely anonymous again.
City, in contrast, have fire in their bellies and quality in their feet. Bernardo and Raheem Sterling - always lively and on his toes - both went close before the break and you felt they were building up a head of steam which was gradually wearing United down.
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United fans have been torn over whether they wanted to beat City and effectively hand the title to Liverpool. But that was never really an issue because any United threat was all too fleeting and stopped by either Ederson or the imperious Fernandinho.
But Fernandinho hobbled off after a block tackle on Pogba just after the break and Guardiola’s inspirational tactical reshuffle put Ilkay Gundogan deeper, Sterling went to the right and Sane began to torment United from the left.
The game swung firmly in City’s favour. Gundogan began the move for City’s 54th minute opener as the German midfielder drove forward, fed Bernardo who darted into the box before firing a low shot which beat de Gea at his inside post.
Sergio Aguero hit the outside of the post shortly afterwards as City began to toy with United, pass around them to leave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men chasing shadows. From a pure football point of view, City were a joy to watch.
The second goal came after 67 minutes and started with Fred giving the ball away, Vincent Kompany fed Sterling and the City forward raced away before feeding Sane on the left edge of the box.
Sane worked himself some space and then buried a low shot past de Gea as the United keeper inexplicably tried to save the ball with his feet rather than his hands and ended up shaking his head in frustration.
That was the victory wrapped up. The title is all but theirs. It feels wrong for either City or Liverpool to finish as runners-up as the standard has been so high all season.
But, make no mistake, if City complete the job and win the title again then it will be because of nights like these when they look a class apart no matter how close the race has been.
