You turn up to one of these Cup-tie mismatches hoping for a miracle but in the end are more than happy just to watch a masterclass.

Manchester City beat Napoli in the Champions League a week ago and drew with Arsenal at the weekend, so were never going to be too over-awed by a Huddersfield Town side held to a goalless draw by Burton Albion in League One last time out.

Still, the great Pep Guardiola paid the Yorkshire side and the Carabao Cup due respect by naming a team including Phil Foden, John Stones, Oscar Bobb and Savinho that passed and passed and passed its way into the fourth round.

To watch Foden was a joy, always wanting the ball, always finding space, using his body to swerve in and out of cul-de-sacs. He opened the scoring with the wand of a left-foot of his, guiding the ball into the bottom corner beyond the outstretched reach of Lee Nicholls after playing a one–two with Divine Mukasa on the edge of the area.

Manchester City's Phil Foden (left) celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game with team-mates during the Carabao Cup third round match at Huddersfield (Picture: PA)

placeholder image — Manchester City's Phil Foden (left) celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game with team-mates during the Carabao Cup third round match at Huddersfield (Picture: PA)

He made the second for Savinho 16 minutes from time before Guardiola - seen wincing on the stroke of half-time when Nico O’Reilly had a lump taken out of him - removed the England international, his night’s wizardry at an end.

Huddersfield fans had come out in their numbers, filling the Accu Stadium like it was the good old days of the David Wagner reign - not that long ago remember - and their excitement for the tie was evident in the hundreds that greeted the arrival of not one, but two Manchester City buses to the players’ entrance 90 minutes before kick-off.

All they saw in the first half was complete control from the Premier League winners, Foden’s surgical strike the only goal to show for a heat map that almost left burn marks in the Huddersfield penalty area.

When Town did break out, Ben Wiles steered a volley wide from Zepiqueno Redmond’s pass.

Manchester City's Savinho (right) attempts a shot towards goal against Huddersfield (Picture: PA)

They came out with greater urgency in the second half, Redmond steering a volley just over James Trafford’s bar, but the one-way traffic continued, Nicholls saving well from O’Reilly.

Huddersfield’s defenders were earning their money; Lasse Sorensen and Sean Roughan at full-back ciinging manfully to the dancing feet of Savinho and Bobb, and Murray Wallace and Josh Feeney protecting the centre.

And while ever it stayed 1-0 they had hope, which they managed to hang onto until 74 minutes when after yet more intricate passing in and around the edge of the penalty area, Foden fed Savinho who lashed the ball in off the crossbar.

Town fans were roused in the 83rd minute when Guardiola introduced Kalvin Phillips from the bench, the former Leeds United man making his first City appearance since December 2023, an uncomfortable period in which he has loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich.

Town fans revelled in booing him as City supporters chanted: “Kalvin Phillips, he’s won more than you.”

And a substitute of Lee Grant’s nearly had a goalscoring intervention, Cameron Ashia rattling the inside of the post with a curling effort as Town finished gamely.

Huddersfield have more important matters to tend to, like boarding a coach to Devon - just the one will do - on Friday morning for a League One appointment with Exeter City.

It is a reality check that makes the sprinkling of stardust from the likes of Pep and Foden all the more enjoyable.