Pep Guardiola's great genius leaves us judging Manchester City solely on their football

For a moment, a micro-second, it looked as though Kevin de Bruyne might panic.

Gift-wrapped an opportunity to score Manchester City’s third, there appeared to be a trace of hesitation as Heurelho Gomes advanced.

Or not, as every single soul in the stadium should have known.

With the check-back, De Bruyne sent the Watford keeper into retirement and City another level up Wembley’s winning steps.

And consider this, De Bruyne only appeared ten minutes into the second half.

But to watch one minute of De Bruyne is a joy, to watch 90 minutes of any Pep Guardiola team is a pleasure … even for those with no affiliation to or affection for the club.

And never mind this domestic treble, THAT is his greatest trick.

Contrary to what Guardiola himself might think, there is no widespread resentment of his side’s dominance, only wonderment at their football.

There are, actually, many reasons why there could be a pervasive Anyone But City feeling throughout football fandom.

Where do you want to start? They are filthy rich, for starters, bankrolled by a state with a dubious human rights records.

Indeed, their financial structure is being investigated by all and sundry.

Their squad is so deep, Guardiola can tell De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane they are not starting an FA Cup Final.

Plus, they are beginning to dominate English football to the same extent they dominated possession against Watford.

Oh, and there was a distasteful song on a club-sanctioned plane on the journey back from Brighton the other day.

You might come up with others. Their incomparable penchant for the tactical foul, for example, advertised here by Ilkay Gundogan.

Yet City do not rouse that many ‘anti’ feelings, not amongst the man, woman and child on the streets, that is.

Pep believes the media do not give them the acclaim they deserve, which is just plain wrong,

The club might believe there is some sort of media agenda against them. That would, also, be obviously wrong. The media report the inquiries into them because, if they have broken any rules, that is wrong.

Wrong and important.

But Guardiola and his employers are not gauging the mood of the neutral correctly if they consider themselves disliked by the common people.

Because one of Guardiola’s finest achievements has been to make the majority judge this club solely on its football.

To judge it on the scarcely believable industry and sorcery of Bernardo Silva, creator of the second goal, eventually credited to Gabriel Jesus despite the intervention of Raheem Sterling, who later benefited from another Bernardo assist for City’s fifth.

To judge it on the enduring excellence of David Silva, whose opener here was a reward for all those years of sublimity.

To judge it on the tirelessness of it all, the physical sacrifice of the closing-down.

To judge it on the audacity of Ederson’s distribution, not to mention his athleticism, which was a key early factor here.

To judge it on the selflessness of Jesus, whose assist for the third was simply sensational and whose second – and City’s fourth – was thoroughly deserved.

And when judged on those enthralling, often bewitching, elements, there are few who care about Financial Fair Play.

It IS important, it could have serious ramifications.

But no-one was thinking about complex legal matters as De Bruyne’s distinctive, dreamy glide took him into a position to present Sterling with his second and City’s sixth.

Even allowing for the majesty of his cameo, it was a bizarre moment when the stadium announcer acclaimed De Bruyne as Man of the Match.

Maybe those who adjudicated were intoxicated by City’s brilliance.

Because contrary to what Pep might feel, they would not be alone.

We wait to find out if they are rule-breakers … we already know they are ground-breakers.