Pep Guardiola is on the brink of a first Premier League title, as he oversaw his Manchester City side carve Everton apart on Saturday evening.
The Citizens were three up by the break and despite Yannick Bolasie's consolation effort, the outcome was never in much doubt following Leroy Sane's fourth minute opener.
Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling were the others to bag for City, who have the opportunity to seal the title in an exciting fashion with a win at home to neighbours Manchester United next Sunday.
Rooney in a two, City bagging three
Sam Allardyce isn't famed for his attacking selections, leaving eyebrows raised when he opted to slot Wayne Rooney in alongside Morgan Schneiderlin in a two man midfield.
Whether that had anything to do with City's opener is up for debate, but it was apparent that Everton would need some attacking options to get anything from the game as City raced into an early lead.
Aymeric Laporte, lining up at left-back, watched as his pass found David Silva who, in turn, got to the by-line and cut the ball back for Sane to brilliantly volley past Jordan Pickford.
Everton's nightmare start got worse eight minutes later as Jesus kept up the form that saw him score a winner against Germany over the international break, slotting in unmarked from Kevin de Bruyne's ball across the area.
City were running riot and should have scored their third goal sooner, Nicholas Otamendi and Jesus missing chances before Sterling slammed in on 37 minutes.
Getting ahead of Leighton Baines to meet Silva's cross, the winger charged forward to slap the ball past Pickford with his left foot, setting up a chorus of boo's that accompanied the Everton players off the pitch at half-time.
A brighter finish for the hosts
Many of the Toffees' home contingent had seen enough and walked out at the interval, those that did remain could have been forgiven for thinking things would get worse as Pickford was forced into a top-drawer save by Fernandinho's deflected effort.
However, Everton did get their name on the score-sheet just after the hour mark, Yannick Bolasie jinking inside the area and hammering a low shot through the legs of Otamendi and inside Ederson's near post.
That didn't prove to be the catalyst for a comeback though, Cenk Tosun going closest to clawing another back as he headed wide from a corner.
City regained their composure by regaining possession, leaving Everton frustrated as the game faded out into another typically devastating City win.
Liverpool on the mind for both
Each side faces Liverpool next, City in the Champions League on Wednesday whilst Everton must pick themselves up and prepare for a Merseyside derby on the same day City face United with a chance to wrap up the title.