Away from the celebrations at the Etihad, it was the question that dominated the weekend. Just how do you stop this Manchester City team?
There was a certain amount of disingenuous discussion around City’s hold over the league, given Arsenal emerged from the chasing pack to lay down a challenge this season. The idea that the title heading to Pep Guardiola’s side has been preordained all season isn’t true. For a lot of this campaign, plenty of neutrals thought Arsenal would get over the line. It suggests they can be caught.
But the Gunners stumbled at a time when City have put their foot to the floor. For more than half of this season, Guardiola's side looked vulnerable, but if they play all of 2023/24 in this kind of mood, they will take some stopping.
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Supporters might cling to the idea that the independent panel assessing the 115 charges the Premier League have brought against the club could stop them in their tracks, but there are no guarantees and no timeframe. You can be sure those in the chasing pack will be looking at how they get closer to City rather than putting all their eggs in a process they have no say in.
Mikel Arteta, Erik ten Hag and Jurgen Klopp will be looking at City and their own team and trying to plot improvements to close the gap. Eddie Howe and Mauricio Pochettino might have similar ambitions.
The problem is that this looks like the peak of the Guardiola era at the Etihad. They are two games from the treble and look a more assured, more complete side than they have before. They have a fearsome defence, an unstoppable goalscorer and a brilliant midfield.
They are on to finish 20 points ahead of United this season and to win the title it’s Ten Hag who will have to find those points, rather than City coming back to them. The Dutchman will look at his team and know there are areas to be improved.
The squad needs greater depth, and the attack has to become more fluid, but there are also some positions where an upgrade is obvious. A title challenge might be beyond United next season, but after two more summer transfer windows, they should have no excuses.
By then Ten Hag will have moulded this squad into his own image and the players will have a greater understanding of his methods and his ethos. Year three should be United’s peak under Ten Hag.
He will need a stronger squad and a stronger first XI to achieve that. The next phase of that rebuild will come this summer when a striker is the top target. It's clear that more goals are required and Anthony Martial's race looks run based on recent performances.
How much United end up spending on a striker will define what comes next this summer. The goalkeeping department needs strengthening, even if David de Gea does sign his new deal. By the end of next summer Ten Hag will want a younger goalkeeper who fits his philosophy more than the Spaniard, with United having to compromise on playing style at the moment.
There is also an upgrade to be made at right-back. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot have shared duties this season but that is more because there are question marks over both. Dalot was impressive in the first half of the season but has lost his way and while Wan-Bissaka deserves credit for forcing his way into the team, he doesn't look like the long-term answer.
The final area that looks ready for an upgrade at least next summer is in midfield. The triumvirate of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes has worked well this season, but Casemiro and Eriksen will be 32 at the end of next season and a younger midfielder has to be a priority.
Eriksen hasn't been as impressive towards the end of the season as he was back in the first few months of the campaign and it looks clear that United's big summer signing in 2024 should be a midfielder to come into the team and add some energy and quality.
By that point, Ten Hag will expect to have a squad and a team that he truly recognises. Whether it will be enough to topple City remains to be seen.
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