Clubs across the land having been plotting for the moment when a decade of City dominance might end. Chelsea, with their extraordinary investment in the continent’s best young players over the past four windows, hope they will be best placed to pounce.

Head coach Enzo Maresca has spent much of the week trying to reel it all back in. The next game is always the most dangerous, the most important game ... and that’s certainly true in this case. Still,