Before kick-off we had Paolo Di Canio on the pitch grabbing a mic and singing I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles. He always knew how to play to the West Ham United crowd. But he is not in Pep Guardiola's class as an entertainer. What a manager, what an impresario of wondrous pass, move and score the Catalan is.
At full-time there was Guardiola, football's greatest showman, striding across the pitch to make a theatrical bow of appreciation to the Manchester City fans and shower them with smiles and waves. If the fans had brought bouquets they'd have tossed them his way. Those who bemoan City's dominance of the Premier League as bad for the game ignore the contribution towards beautifying it this champion team makes.
One way to sum up this match is that West Ham played really well, were canny tactically, scored a wonderful goal, led at half-time and had the spiritual heir to Di Canio Lucas Paquetá creating lovely moments on the pitch.
And yet despite all that they finished nowhere near opponents who had 29 shots, 15 of them on target, and would have scored five or six but for Alphonse Areola's excellence.
Bernardo Silva was bewitching, Rodri lordly, Kyle Walker timelessly incredible and Erling Haaland did that thing he does: score. It encapsulated the dynamics that West Ham had a very good Álvarez ? Edson ? but City trumped them with a brilliant one ? Julián, who is such a clever, multifaceted player. The young Argentinian, said Guardiola, is now "undroppable".
Then there was Jérémy Doku, about whom a colleague wondered whether his mother is called Sue. Well, he was certainly a puzzle to Vladimir Coufal. Doku's equaliser, 41 seconds after half-time, came at a crucial juncture, and after he baffled Coufal with a dribble ? not for the first time, nor the last.
Guardiola felt the Belgian was "a little bit too shy" on his debut but loved his second City performance for his bravery on the ball. "A proper winger, ability to go one v one," he swooned of the 21-year-old. He has unleashed upon us yet another artist-star.
Phil Foden was the quietest of City's talents, though started well and for the first 20 minutes West Ham were pushed back, Paquetá and Jarrod Bowen forced to play as auxiliary full backs to help stem City on the flanks. In the third minute West Ham's box resembled a pinball machine, the ball flying this way and that as Rodri forced a good Areola save with a header, Areola clawed a Foden centre away and Nayef Aguerd blocked a Rodri shot. Rodri shot again and Haaland touched it on, but Tomas Soucek headed off the line. Rúben Dias followed up but Areola palmed his header over the bar.
Home supporters cheered with relief, like boxing fans seeing their fighter weather a flurry of punches and get to the bell. But soon Doku was toying with James Ward-Prowse and laying back for Josko Gvardiol, whose mishit shot ran to Haaland, who shot wide from close in.
West Ham's one riposte during this period was a corner, curled dangerously by Bowen and touched on by
Soucek to Aguerd, who fluffed his header, the ball striking his shoulder at the far post. The pattern appeared set: West Ham would defend in depth and numbers and pin hope on set pieces.
However, it transpired there was more to their game plan than that.
As soon as City's energy levels dropped, they came out to play, with Paquetá becoming the game's dominant figure. In possession, the Brazilian had freedom to roam and started coming into deep central areas to get on the ball and dictate play. He was involved in a sweeping move which resulted in Emerson finding Ward-Prowse in space 18 yards out but Ward-Prowse delayed his shot, allowing Ederson to save.
But then came his goal ? a brilliant expression of how shrewd and purposeful David Moyes's side can be. Coufal pounced on a careless Doku touch and this was trigger for a sudden attack. Coufal passed inside to Bowen, took the return and charged on before flighting a gorgeous cross towards to where Ward-Prowse, timing his run perfectly, dived to head in.
For a period, West Ham had that rarest thing: control against a Guardiola team. As Moyes said, it may have been the best his side have been with the ball against City. But before halftime came a warning. Doku beat Coufal and teased a cross to beyond the far post, from where Haaland's attempt was weak. Aguerd cleared.
Among Guardiola's many gifts is provoking a reaction at half-time when the performance needs improving. With quick ball movement straight after kick-off, they caught West Ham cold and Álvarez found Doku just inside the box in space. He faced up Coufal, dropped a shoulder, burst inside him and shot early, beating Areola with a side-foot shot before the keeper was set. 1-1.
Soon Álvarez was looping a superb long-range free kick against the post and Rodri was chipping through for Haaland to connect acrobatically, forcing a fine Areola save. West Ham kept playing, and Paquetá robbed Rodri then released Michail Antonio, but Ederson came out to smother after
Antonio's heavy touch. Ederson then tipped over a Kurt Zouma header.
But with Moyes withdrawing Edson Álvarez for fear of him getting a second booking, City's momentum became impossible to contain. Julián Álvarez and Silva combined on the edge of the box before Álvarez spooned a delightful ball over Aguerd ? who timed his leap badly ? and Silva ran in to lob Areola.
Areola made more saves, including an impressive one from Walker, but Haaland could not be denied for ever. Even on a bad day, one on which he misses chances, the Norwegian tends to score and he belted home from 15 yards after more Silva-Álvarez interplay and a lovely Silva set-up.
