If the title race is compelling, with the lead switching between multiple teams, then the general rule is that the quality of football is probably mediocre. In recent years, when Manchester City and Liverpool have dominated, we have witnessed some of the finest football played in the Premier League but, 2018-19 aside, the contest was over by late winter.

So this season we will take what we can get. If the football on show and the quality of teams is considerably poorer, at least the contest is intriguing. City are top and recorded their 12th successive win in all competitions. But this is not the awe-inspiring team of years gone by.

They were fine here against Sheffield United Nothing more. No superlatives need to be employed in describing this win against the Premier League’s bottom club, who were admirable after their 1-0 win at Manchester United in midweek. Yet if City are steeling themselves for a third title win in four seasons, then it will be the least impressive one yet.  

Still, 12 consecutive wins in all competitions is not to be sniffed at. While others falter, City keep going. They may have started the season slowly but they are finding their range now, though with the endless succession of fixtures, manager Pep Guardiola is unwilling to make projections.

He gratefully accepted the bouquets of praise for his team’s current form but he also reflected on where they had been so recently. ‘I appreciate the words but one month ago we had no chance to do anything,’ he said.

‘Now we are in the good moment. I don’t have the ability to predict what is going to happen in the future. Everything will change a lot. We were 12th not so long ago, we were eighth and eight points behind the leaders.’

The depth of City’s squad is often cited as a reason to favour them for the title. Yet this game showed that if you take out Kevin De Bruyne (injured), Sergio Aguero (Covid) and Raheem Sterling (rested), its cutting edge is severely blunted. Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva did well here but there was precious little of the high-speed link-ups that have so characterised City at their best. No one was quite on the same wavelength.

Much credit should go to Sheffield United. They simply did not allow City time and space. They permitted their opponents to have possession but only in areas that were not especially dangerous. 

‘Now you see us against a side that is bottom of the league and you really realise that the Premier League is the toughest in the world,’ said Guardiola.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder could take some solace in Guardiola’s words. ‘I believe he said that he’s looking at a team that is still alive and I believe we’re alive and have plenty left in us,’ said Wilder. ‘We won’t be defined by this game here today, but by the 17 games that are left.’

And yet if Sheffield United are to survive they must do the things that define them well. They had started this game showing solidity and determination. So when the excellent Ruben Dias picked out a long pass in the eighth minute, Ethan Ampadu will need to address the poor header that played it into the path of Ferran Torres.

Even then, there was not an immediate worry. Torres attempted a run at goal but there was Jayden Bogle to block his way. Except that, somehow, Torres, despite landing on his backside, was more intent on pursuing the matter than Bogle.

It was a simple task merely to block the attacker but Bogle allowed him to muscle his way through. No matter, Ampadu was covering and was immediately upon Torres. And yet again, Ampadu had neither the physicality nor desire to stop Torres, who powered on. Now with a clear view of the box, panic ensued as he played in Gabriel Jesus. 

He has not scored since November in the Premier League. But now an opportunity presented itself, three yards from goal and he even had time to get his legs in a tangle and still prod the ball into the net. On the bench, Wilder turned away, no doubt rolling his eyes. And thereafter, Sheffield United did well to frustrate City. Bogle was back to being a wing-back, tracking back and denying Torres and Bernardo opportunities to repeat those runs inside.

All City could muster in the remaining minutes of the first half was a lovely chipped ball from Fernandinho which Jesus could not get under control and a strike from Torres from that far right post, which goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale gathered.

Sheffield United managed still less. A tame shot from Rhian Brewster easily collected by Ederson was the sum total of their first-half offering.

And they were even better in the second half. City were limited to a Torres header across the face of goal in the 50th minute and the splendid move 22 minutes later down the right from Bernardo, which saw the ball worked to Foden, who fed Oleksandr Zinchenko, whose shot brought a fine save from Ramsdale. That was one of the rare occasions when City really looked themselves.

Come the final 15 minutes, Wilder determined to engage. Switching to 4-4-2, Billy Sharp and Oli McBurnie came on. And a different dynamic ensued, with the threat to City more pronounced.

That said, it resulted in just one genuinely good chance, A long ball was shielded down by Sharp in the 84th minute to tee up John Fleck. He hit it well enough, crisply and firmly, but his half volley flew wide of Ederson’s post.

Inevitably as Sheffield United opened up, City had more joy. So Ramsdale was at his best again to deny Jesus. And the handball rule received another baffling revamp when George Baldock blocked Foden’s cross with his arm but failed to interest referee David Coote in a penalty.

In summary, Sheffield United’s mini renaissance can be said to continue. But ultimately it was pointless.