"Ruben is back," declared Pep Guardiola after Manchester City safely booked their place in the FA Cup quarter finals. "Manu is outstanding, Nathan all season has been top. Kevin is back... in the second half was the Kevin we know."
Asked if he had all of his best players returning to form, Guardiola listed nine players who impressed him at Ashton Gate, after praising two others immediately before. For the first time this season, Guardiola is heading for a fully-fit squad, with multiple options in every position.
And after making a concerted effort to thank City's travelling fans after their two long trips to Bournemouth and Bristol this week, after hugging every one of his players individually on the pitch. Guardiola is conducting a happy camp again - although there are no more happy flowers.
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"We need everyone," Guardiola continued. "Look at the 15-20 minutes Jack played, it was top, Riyad made an assist again in the first goal. Bernardo is helping all the time up front or defending... we need him in the process to play. Julian didn't score but how he fought and created chances and kept the ball and set balls for Kalvin and Rico.
"Rico maybe touched more balls because everyone passed the ball to him, such a clever player in the middle in the first half. Everyone passed the ball to him because he was a clever player in the middle in the first half."
When Guardiola takes his side to places like Bristol City, he wants fringe players to step up and his experienced players to set the standard. They did that on Tuesday, with players like De Bruyne, Foden and Phillips using the opportunity to play their way into form. Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez sent reminders that they aren't ready to relinquish their places just yet.
Guardiola described Foden as 'flabbergasting' and said that City can now 'rely' on Phillips. He also added that Aymeric Laporte is back in training after his illness, with John Stones also nearing a return after a hamstring injury. Only Stefan Ortega's substitution with an apparent injury leaves him on the sidelines.
So Guardiola should soon have multiple options in defence, with recent formations giving City the opportunity to play a back four, or a back three with a full-back pushing forward on either side. In the space of seven games, City have worked out a solution for coping without Joao Cancelo. Bernardo's trial as a 'false left-back' offers cover for Nathan Ake, while Phillips will hope to provide more reliable cover for Rodri.
Ilkay Gundogan will have watched on at Bristol City to see an improving Kevin De Bruyne and a relentless Bernardo, despite the club captain doing little wrong in the last game at Bournemouth. And in attack, Alvarez continues to offer an alternative to Erling Haaland, even if he looks better playing alongside the number nine rather than in place of him.
The three wingers of Foden, Mahrez and Grealish are all in form and Guardiola said at the weekend that all will be needed until the end of the season as City cannot rely on the same 11 players. His praise of 11 (who didn't even include Haaland, Rodri, Gundogan, Laporte, Stones or Kyle Walker) is a promising sign for a squad looking to move through the gears in recent weeks.
How long has it been since City could confidently say they had as many as 17 outfield players all in good form, pushing each other, and able to play in a variety of formations?
"It is not about playing good or bad but the mood, the feeling," he also said at full time. "Everyone is open to making their contribution, the body language is top and this is what we need. We need everyone."
Add a reinvigorated support, and a squad who are making an effort to connect with the match-going fans at each game, and Guardiola must feel like he is getting close to the formula that has fueled City's success in the last seven years.
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