City may not have the machine-like fluency and relentless winning style of the Guardiola teams that won four straight Premier League titles, but those memories can still kick in for plenty who will play their part in coming weeks.
One of the newer faces is giant Italian keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, a Champions League winner with Paris St-Germain last season, who is now chasing new honours and horizons with Manchester City.
In some respects he is a flawed keeper, especially under crosses, but has that uncanny, priceless habit of making stunning match-winning saves that makes up for other failings.
He did it with an astonishing stoppage time save from Alexis Mac Allister in a City win at Liverpool that may yet be regarded as the pivotal moment in their season, and he did it again here.
As the final seconds ticked on with Newcastle pressing for a point, Donnarumma employed that giant wingspan to stretch away low to his right to turn away Harvey Barnes’ goal-bound shot.
Seconds later, the final whistle went and Etihad Stadium was awash with celebration.
Time will tell just how important those saves – those wins – will be, but City are now in a position from which they have flourished before.
Win all their games. Win the Premier League.
Now the scenery shifts to north London – along with the pressure – as Arsenal face that dangerous trip to Spurs.
