As Pep Guardiola prepares to take Manchester City into the cauldron of Anfield for Sunday’s showdown with Liverpool, he exudes a characteristic first witnessed towards the end of last season: serenity. Intensity has been superseded by a manager at ease – with his team and himself.
This new geniality appeared in May when City beat Paris Saint-Germain in their semi to reach a first Champions League final. When Guardiola’s third Premier League title was secured with three games to spare, it deepened. Come the next season and fresh travails, it was easy to assume Guardiola would return to his more recognisable persona.
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But …