It’s official. City have gone.

Now we know. This City team is shot. It’s a shadow of what it once was. And it was one of the greatest. Not anymore. After 45 minutes of shadow boxing Arsenal tore the champions to shreds. They were better in every department.

As if the team passing its sell-by date isn’t bad enough - the coach doesn’t seem to have any idea how to fix it. When we spoke to him on beINSPORTS post match he looked haunted.

When I suggested a couple of months ago he might not start next season in charge at the Etihad - even after signing that extension - I was ridiculed. Are we all still sure I was wrong?

Pre-match there was a lot of talk about City ‘being back’. After all - they were unbeaten in six league games going into the match at Arsenal. The problem was few drilled down on that stat. Yea - they’d beaten West Ham, Leicester, Ipswich and Chelsea. And they’d drawn with Brentford and Everton. But does that sequence of results say ‘they’re back’? Of course it doesn’t. Look at the quality of the opposition.

People should’ve been talking more about what Paris had done to them in the CL. You can only really judge a side on what they do in big games.

City have gone. Legs have gone. Guardiola fell asleep enjoying that 4th title success instead of tearing the team apart and replacing players sooner - like Fergie always did.

Buying Marmoush and Khusanov isn’t the answer. They’re not going to change anything.

City’s problem is finding the next de Bruyne. The next David Silva. Bernardo Silva. Gundogan. These were massive players for them. It’s worth noting they were all at the club before Guardiola arrived though.

They were City’s first line of defence. As long as City had the ball they didn’t have to worry about defending. Now they can’t keep it they’re exposed every time teams have a go at them. They’ve been rumbled.

In recent games they’ve been going longer, but Arsenal were just too good for them whatever they did.

They’ll still beat most of the ‘ordinary’ rest, but it’s big games they’re struggling in. Right now you’d back Madrid to do what Arsenal did to them.

City have got to find another way and it could be that Guardiola isn’t the man to find it.

How about setting a team up to have only 37% possession in a game - yet win 7-0? Did you know only Everton have had less possession than Forest this season, but they’re finding their feet under the Moyesiah, scoring goals now and getting from back to front quickly - just as Forest do.

Is it possible we’re moving away from the deadly dull era of being told ‘the right way’ to play is mind numbingly sideways and backwards? Any way - but forward - as long as you keep the ball. Bollocks. Forest and Brentford are proving that doesn’t have to be the case. I’d rather watch my football at the City Ground or Brentford’s Community Stadium than anywhere else right now.

A quick word from the Celebration Police. Well done Arsenal. The win and performance were to be celebrated Sunday, but they were restrained and largely magnanimous. I loved Lewis-Skelly’s cheeky moment though.

There’s not much to say about United this week. Poor again wasn’t it? But it always is when they have to take a game to the opposition. If they’re sitting in a low block and stopping the opposition from playing they’re ok. If they have to take a game to teams they struggle, which is why they’ve now lost seven home games.

As for playing Mainoo as a false 9? And you’ve got Hojlund and Zirkzee available. What are you actually saying to those players with a decision like that?

I’m afraid Amorim looks totally out of his depth. I wanted it to work, but it isn’t. He’s going to have to change and learn fast IF he wants to stay in the job. I’m still not convinced he doesn’t want out already.

As usual we got a raft of baffling reffing decisions. There’s no way Villa’s equaliser at Wolves should’ve been disallowed. Why are we trying to find so many different ways to rule goals out? We should be finding ways to ensure they’re given.

Everton should’ve had a pen when Beto was cleaned out in the box. ‘He wasn’t in control the of the ball’ the matchday centre told us - proof that these guys know the laws but nothing about football.

Beto wasn’t in control of the ball for either of his two goals. He didn’t have a touch before scoring on both occasions. Absolute nonsense. It was a pen.

But Liverpool’s wasn’t. Darren England must’ve been really nervous taking charge of a Liverpool game for the first time since he incorrectly disallowed that Luis Diaz goal at Spurs. And it showed.

England guessed that Gakpo had been fouled. Except he hadn’t been. You can’t guess when the decision is as big as that.

Best business in the transfer window? Villa’s decision to take Rashford. Clearly Rashford is out of love with the game at the moment, but can you blame him? Working with ten Hag would’ve bored the arse off anyone.

If Villa can get him firing they’ve got a bargain. Rashford is a player for sure. If he concentrates only on football he’ll find his way again and make Amorim look very silly. What a disgraceful thing Amorim said claiming he’d rather play his goalkeeping coach than Rashford. That was a shocking insult.

Finally - a quick word on Ian Holloway. What a terrific job he’s doing at Swindon. Good on you Ollie.