Is Guardiola trying to usher in a snowflake era or is he fully justified? Warnock, of course, realised that the only way his side had any remote chance was to intimidate City with his players' physicality.

“But please protect the players. Not the Manchester City players, [all] the players. The only thing they can do is that: protect the players. Or it will happen again. The players are the artists and you have to take care of them. That’s why you are here and why I’m here. For them, the players.

“Did I fear serious injuries? Of course. Every team can play how they want. If they decide to play in that way, perfect. But there is one man, in black, and he has to decide what is correct and incorrect. When you say: ‘Why don’t you win the four titles?’ I need the players to win the four titles.”

The Cardiff manager, Neil Warnock, said: “City dished out a bit, as well. He [Guardiola] is in England. What do you expect? I suppose when you’re like that you want everything to be nice and pretty but you don’t get that in England. You get different challenges, don’t you?”

If Monty Python was alive and well, they would no doubt create a sketch with Renoir at his easel being slide-tackled by Toulouse Lautrec.