Tackling a problem again for Cardiff against Manchester City. This time, unlike January’s tempestuous FA Cup meeting, it was a distinct lack of them.

Eight months ago the Welsh capital was ablaze after a row surrounding crude challenges but here it was all a bit damp, even after Neil Warnock’s inflammatory comments about Pep Guardiola on Friday. Cardiff stood off, watching the champions slowly play their way back into some sort of form. There you go: have 81 per cent of the ball.

They were under Guardiola’s skin last season and his side had appeared tentative until realising this was not anywhere close to a similar battle. Only when already three goals down did Warnock witness something resembling rough, a high and late lunge by Joe Ralls on Ilkay Gundogan prompting calls for red to be brandished. Ralls caught the midfielder’s shin after the ball went.

Riyad Mahrez expresses his delight as he celebrates scoring his second goal in Manchester City’s 5-0 win over Cardiff

Mahrez’s goal added further gloss to the scoreline as City secured an excellent victory away to Cardiff

Summer signing Mahrez scored his first goal for City shortly after he entered the fray as a substitute

Sergio Aguero celebrates opening the scoring for City in the first half on his 300th appearance for the club

Aguero celebrates with team-mates Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane after his strike broke the deadlock against Cardiff

Aguero scored with a typically clinical finish as Cardiff’s resistance was finally broken in the 32nd minute of the game

The City celebrate with Mahrez after the Algeria international opened his account for the club with his second-half strike

Mahrez slotted the ball beyond the reach of Neil Etheridge to put City 4-0 up and seal victory for his side