It’s Pep Guardiola’s spin on Murderball, the old Marcelo Bielsa training free-for-all. A quarter of a pitch, three teams of seven, offside only enforceable in the final few yards before goal. There don’t appear to be fouls or a referee, only physios sticking their hand up along the touchline if anybody is goal-hanging.
Manchester City have been doing it for some time and it can be manic, a constantly evolving winner-stays-on game with teams rotating which one of them stands and watches from the sidelines.
Highly-rated 17-year-old centre half Max Alleyne featured earlier this week; there might not be a more forensic test of a youngster’s ability in world football.