Why fan the flames with loyal support?

OH, Kevin de Bruyne. It's what the City vice-captain hears at the Etihad multiple times during a match as fans serenade one of the best players they have ever seen.

- SIMON BAJKOWSKI

And it's what plenty of supporters ended up sighing when they saw what he had said after the West Ham game.

Asked about how the Hammers goal had affected the crowd, he responded: "Yeah but I don't know why. I can understand that we are not up to the level but they should support us. They know the effort is there 100 per cent and we were still winning 4-1 so I don't understand why it's happening." If the mood felt nervous inside the ground, it certainly wasn't helped by the sight of Pep Guardiola on the touchline spending most of the final 30 minutes either on his haunches or with his head in his hands. This was in relation to what was happening on the pitch rather than in the stands because City had gone to pieces.