A lot of Manchester City's issues since the World Cup have been a failure of fundamentals.
You can have all the false nines and inverted full-backs you like but if you pass the ball to an opposition player near your box, the chances are you will concede a goal. City's supply line for Erling Haaland has slowed and they have been needlessly open at the back.
They are also second in the table with the chance to go top on Wednesday, so things are hardly awful. But nobody can deny that performances have dipped in recent weeks that have hampered their efforts to put more pressure on Arsenal.
Also read: Rodri urges Man City to take advantage of what Arsenal are missing
Their form has been noticed by opponents. After winning the derby (albeit in hugely controversial fashion), United defender Luke Shaw said that their pre-match analysis included knowing that City have started games slowly, before improving in the second half.
City changed that against Villa, scoring in the opening 10 minutes of a league game for the first time since their 6-3 derby win back in October. Rodri's early goal set the tone for a dominant first half that took the game beyond Aston Villa and may have allowed Erling Haaland the rest he needs to start against Arsenal.
As Ilkay Gundogan said afterwards: "When we start the game with the right rhythm and we score an early goal, I always feel like we play with intensity and full of confidence." One goal brought two, and two brought three.
Rodri's goal was also notable for it coming from a set-piece. This was the first goal from a dead ball routine for 10 matches spanning back to the 3-2 cup win over Liverpool in the first game back after the World Cup.
City turned set-pieces into an artform last season to give them the marginal gains they needed to defend their title, scoring a competition-high 21 goals from them and conceding just one. This campaign has been more tricky for them, scoring eight in the league from set-pieces but also conceding four; +20 from last season is currently at +4.
With some inventive routines that also saw Jack Grealish go close from a Kevin De Bruyne corner, Sunday felt like everything came together again for City in one of their most creative performances for a while. They scored three in the opening 45 minutes, and it could have been many more.
Scoring early goals and scoring from set-pieces obviously depends on the quality of your opponents, and they do not come any tougher than league leaders Arsenal. Equally though, City have previously made these skills a trademark of their play and they have finally shaken off a slow start just in time for their trip to North London.
If they can start doing the simple things well again, this title race will run well beyond this week.
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