Kevin De Bruyne limped off, as Bernardo Silva stepped up to be the match-winner.
The vital 2-0 win over Aston Villa in midweek was a reflection of the 2018-19 Premier League title campaign, when the brilliant Belgian was missing for most of the campaign – but Bernardo blossomed into a key player for the Blues.
The news that De Bruyne is out for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in that game is a severe blow for City, who are tucked in behind leaders Manchester United, with a game in hand.
But the fact that they fended off a strong Liverpool challenge two seasons ago, despite being without De Bruyne for the first half of the season – and the run-in – is an experience upon which they can call.
Bernardo’s excellent goal against Villa could also be the moment when he re-discovered the form he showed in that thrilling campaign – he thrived as the main playmaker, in De Bruyne’s absence.
Last season, after falling foul of the FA, he had an ordinary season, and has flickered into form in spells this term.
Pep Guardiola says that he feels Bernardo is on the comeback, and blamed himself for not playing him enough last season, when Riyad Mahrez’s form restricted his appearances.
“He’s back, he struggled last season, maybe because of lack of minutes I gave him,” he said. “He cannot play every single game, we have players from the academy. We need everyone. There are more spaces for other players.”
De Bruyne’s injury is a boost for leaders United, who can see an opportunity to cancel out City’s game in hand as the Blues plough on without de Bruyne and main striker Sergio Aguero.
But Guardiola dismissed the notion that injuries to top players has to be the main factor in deciding the destination of the title.
“There are many reasons why one team becomes champions, and healthy players is important,” he said.
“But it’s impossible. To demand they are fit for 11 months, playing every three days, is impossible. “Injuries at all the clubs - we knew it, we’ve tried to avoid it, better medical to take care of the players, but they are human beings.
“This amount of competitions, the body says it’s enough. We cannot ask for something that is not possible to be solved, it’s impossible.”
