There is a temptation for this to be about Erling Haaland again. Bringing up a half century of goals, rewriting history, showing a flagrant disrespect to the competitiveness of the Premier League.
And there will be time for him. But in the wider context of Manchester City's season, and this attempt at a fifth title in six years, Sunday served as a significant milestone.
Not that they went top of the league for the first time since February – or, more amazingly, for only the 15th day of their campaign – but that City did so while negotiating a major scare, finishing with bookings for timewasting, with Jack Grealish goading the home support, with Pep Guardiola sat on the grand steps of the Cottage in one corner of the stadium wearing a look of exhaustion waiting for a ride home.