Manchester City strolled to a 5-0 win against Sporting CP in the Champions League on Tuesday but, while the scoreline might not suggest it, the Blues put in a performance not entirely typical of their approach this season.
Since a patchy start to the campaign gave way to a 15-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola's side have become synonymous with patient, controlled football, where the main aims are to limit the amount of possession and counter-attacking opportunities the opponent has and to create scoring chances by strategically piling bodies forward.
City were four goals up by half-time in Lisbon, but they did not reach that position via the usual means. Guardiola's side were anything but controlled, with Sporting able to break forward at will - even when City were 3-0 ahead.
"Today some players underperformed and lost some easy balls," Pep said after the match. "There’s one rule in football, when you have the ball, don’t lose it.
"Our build-up on the left side... we didn't do it well. We allowed them to make transitions, they are so dangerous. Just look at the first five or six minutes before the goals."
In his post-match press conference, Guardiola singled out Joao Cancelo as one individual who misplaced a few passes, a rare off day for a player who has played a crucial role in City's success so far this term.
Rodri was another guilty of sloppiness on the ball, his suicidal cross-field pass in the opening minutes gifting Sporting the ball in the centre of the pitch and creating a dangerous counter-attack.
It was reminiscent of a misjudged pass the Spain international played in the dying minutes of the round-of-16 game against Borussia Monchengladbach last season that could have offered the Germans a way back into the tie.
It was even more jarring this time around, given the defensive midfielder is enjoying such an exemplary season. If the Blues reach back-to-back Champions League finals, he surely won't be left out in the cold again? Suppose it depends on how often he tries to play the opposition through on goal.
Slopiness on the ball aside, City's goals were very un-City like. Thanks to their inability to keep the ball for extended periods of time and the fact that Sporting left lots of open space to exploit, the Blues scored four goals through transitioning the ball quickly from defence to attack.
Errors such as Rodri's and the fact that City were not their usual collected selves in possession encouraged the hosts to attack and press, which actually worked to the Premier League champions' advantage.
Even the chances that they missed - such as John Stones' header early in the first half - came about from counter-attacks largely instigated by Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.
The duo have both returned to top form in recent times after months playing bit-part roles (more so in Sterling's case), which makes City's willingness to play through transitions less surprising.
They are City's most direct and penetrative attackers who, while perfectly capable of playing in a more methodical way, are better suited to counter-attacks and progressing the ball quickly up the pitch.
Guardiola said himself in December that De Bruyne can "struggle" against deep, compact defences, but that he is "the best" in transitions.
Now that both are back in the side and playing well, City are much more effective in those moments. Playing in such a way may not be Guardiola's preferred method, but it can't hurt City to have another strategy for winning football matches - especially against confident Champions League opponents who fancy their chances.
Do you prefer City to play with more control or on the transition? Follow our City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
