Before last season had finished, Manchester City were already preparing for retaliation from Chelsea and Liverpool.
Manchester United may have finished closer in the league table but the easing of the Anfield injury crisis and the instant impact of Thomas Tuchel were significant drivers behind the belief at the Etihad that they had to strengthen over summer.
A three-way title race still looks to be on the cards, although the more outstanding teams there are the less chance there is of one club streaking away with it; City have already taken points off Liverpool and Chelsea, Liverpool have taken points off City and Chelsea, and Chelsea have taken points off Liverpool.
If three quality teams reduces the prospects of any of them challenging the 100-point barrier set in 2018 by Pep Guardiola's side, or the 98-point standard the following year between City and Liverpool, the Centurions record looks more secure because of the quality of the teams below them.
Even around the derby demolition, City were thinking about the points they have dropped at home to Southampton and Crystal Palace this season. Guardiola spoke before the game about the need to reinsert more variety to their attack, then post-match Ilkay Gundogan challenged his teammates to assert that level of dominance.
"We lost points against other teams that was not necessary," he said, "it's about improving in these games as well, not to give easy points away because the Premier League seems to be more competitive to win it."
One by-product of the success Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have had in English football has been to attract and inspire quality coaches to the Premier League, which has seen the standard of the teams below the traditional Big Six improve.
Southampton's draw this season was not the first time Ralph Hasenhuttl has got the better of City during his three years in charge, while Graham Potter's Brighton showed no sign of acceptance as they fought back from two goals down to take two points off Liverpool at Anfield. Sean Dyche, the longest-serving manager in the division, took the shine of Chelsea's start as Burnley fought back to earn a draw at Stamford Bridge last week.
With Patrick Vieira making an instant impression at Palace this season and Antonio Conte belatedly being tempted to sort out the mess at Tottenham, the Premier League has never been more stuffed full of top-quality coaches that can get their teams to play with a defined style and identity.
That, quite understandably, has always proven more difficult for Guardiola to overcome in the league and in cups because there is more organisation and spirit to be defeated that can mitigate any gaps in quality on the pitch.
More good teams across the division makes it more difficult for City or anyone else to win the league, but it also makes it more likely that their Centurions record remains intact for another year at least.
