The reaction to Manchester City’s 4-0 home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday was a good example — this was, from City’s perspective, surely a collective collapse rather than one based on individual failings. But post-match coverage focused largely on Kyle Walker, and the space Tottenham found in behind him.

Come the final whistle of Manchester City’s 4-nil defeat to Tottenham at the Etihad last night; you got the impression that this is fast becoming the toughest challenge in the managerial career of