By the time Raheem Sterling smuggled home Manchester City’s final goal in the rollercoaster 6-3 Boxing Day win over Leicester City, the Premier League leaders ’ coruscating start to the fixture felt like something that happened days ago.
Sterling’s second goal of the afternoon, his eighth in his past 10 club matches, was almost greeted wearily by the man himself - a routine strike where relief far outweighed any elation.
After being ransacked to find themselves 4-0 down inside 25 minutes, Leicester switched to five at the back after half-time and capitalised on individual errors and the return of City’s vulnerability on the counter-attack to make it 4-3.
By the time Aymeric Laporte and Sterling restored breathing space for Pep Guardiola’s side, television directors and editors will have been looking just as bedraggled as the Foxes’ defence.
How on earth do you edit all that down into a tidy highlights package? City were majestic before half-time, but plenty of brilliance would have to be left on the cutting room floor.
Sure enough, Match of the Day’s coverage and City’s extended website highlights of the game began with the immediate build-up to Kevin De Bruyne’s fifth-minute opener on the end of Fernandinho’s delightful lofted pass.
But that goal was only possible because Sterling unleashed hell on Brendan Rodgers’ side across the previous four minutes, to the extent it felt like they were begging for the mercy of being able to pick the ball out of Kasper Schmeichel’s net and kick off again.
The England forward was into his work straight away, as Laporte’s lofted pass sent him scampering in behind the Leicester backline. It was a moment to put Marc Albrighton on notice.
Makeshift right-backs haven’t had the best of times against City this season - just ask James Milner about his ordeal against Phil Foden at Anfield - and Sterling was about to take Albrighton to a similar place.
Inverting their previous raid on Leicester, Sterling dropped deeper as opposed to spinning in behind with two minutes and 25 seconds on the clock, allowing Laporte to play the ball into his feet.
In a flash he was always from Albrighton, darting infield and away from a second challenge to reach the penalty area - a passage of play that ended with De Bruyne having a shot blocked.
That attack featured some slick footwork and nimble movement but a minute later, Sterling reverted to the ultimate winger’s powerplay: I’m faster than you, what are you going to do about it?
Raheem knocked the ball past Albrighton and tore merrily into dangerous territory, with Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez just unable to get the decisive touch.
But, as they have done so brilliantly across several rapid starts to games in recent weeks, Guardiola’s men kept the ball alive and recycled possession to bring the moment where your highlights package started.
Sterling was the unseen creator of that goal and his capacity to run through his whole repertoire from the first whistle has been key to City flying out of the blocks of late. He was the beneficiary when he headed home after four minutes at Watford at the start of the month, but he was every bit as influential against Leicester.
That devilment being back, the ability to torment and terrify opposition defences, is something that went missing for Raheem for long spells at City in 2021. The fact he is racking up the goals again strongly suggests he is back to his best, but nothing could confirm that as emphatically the manner in which he started the Boxing Day goal-fest.
You’ll have to dig around a bit to watch the footage back, but it’s absolutely worth it.
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