Manchester City 2 Sheffield United 0: Blades escape with a little pride but nothing else from world champions' exhibition

Sheffield United's players walked out of the tunnel on Saturday to be greeted by the five trophies their hosts have won this year each on their own plinths and five huge banners falling from the stand facing them to illustrate each.

"We are the champions" had blazed out as the trophies were put in place. A gold badge signifying their new status as world club champions adorned their shirts.

Then, the whistle went and Pep Guardiola's men laid on an exhibition of how good they are at passing the ball. Late in the game they had their 1,000th touch, compared to 345 overall for the visitors.

The Blades moved about behind the ball in a solid, very defensive shape with five at the back, three midfielders in front of them, and Anis Ben Slimane trying to give Will Osula a bit of company when he could.

It meant City could just leave two back – occasionally Manuel Akanji stepped up too – while Kyle Walker popped up at right winger one minute, central midfielder the next and rest buzzed around just as fluently.

Points are always a possibility when two teams play league football but at City's ever-expanding fortress, only a faint one for the bottom team in the Premier League. Going home with their pride intact was always going to be the Blades' overriding priority, and anything on top of that was a bonus.

To only lose 2-0, even against a team who were able to play a few gears down, probably achieved that, depressing though it is to say. For all that possession, City only managed four shots on target all game.

City's metronomic passing sapped energy out of the away players' legs but what they were not doing was battering the goal net, not even after Rodri hit it with their second shot 15 minutes in. They had the arrogance – completely backed up by those trophies – to know if they stuck at it, it would come, though.

Sheffield United had been expecting this, of course, hence their backs-to-the-wall team selection which left Rhian Brewster, Oli McBurnie and Cameron Archer on the bench in the hope of keeping the scoreline tight for long enough that they could have a quick burst of more adventurous football late on.

City had just got too far ahead before Brewster and Archer could get on. McBurnie never did.

To really work, the plan needed the visitors to keep the ball well when they had it, and that was a struggle, but also for 20-year-old centre-forward Osula to justify his selection over those more experienced, multi-million-pound alternatives by posing a threat when he got a rare glimpse of the ball. He managed that.

The danger was always that an opening goal would burst the floodgates open, so it was discomforting if not at all surprising that it came reasonably early. Vinicius Souza tackled Phil Foden and, not having to worry about minding the shop as he usually does, Rodri was able to burst onto it, drive forward and find the net.

So when Foden played Bernardo Silva in shortly afterwards and Wes Foderingham did well to save after narrowing the angle, you feared the worst.

But although the attacks kept coming, the onslaught did not.

Slowly, slightly, the Blades poked their head out of their shell.

Osula hit a shot against Akanji in the 41st minute and forced a save from the corner, then drew a foul from Mateo Kovacic which earned the midfielder a booking.

Jayden Bogle drew another save from Ederson – his first had been from a mishit Oliver Norwood cross early on – but not a difficult one. Still, it was encouragement for the 30-1 outsiders with the bookmakers.

But once the second half started, the game was back to its familiar pattern, the constant drip, drip of pressure.

When Rodri played a ball over the top for Foden, Foderingham got enough on the ball to allow Auston Trusty to come across and snuff out the danger. Alvarez blasted off target and Foden had a shot deflected for a corner.

City showed almost saintly patience and were rewarded in the 61st minute when substitute Oscar Bobb flicked the switch on a move, releasing Foden to drill a low cross Alvarez slid onto to tap in at the far post.

From there the game became rather dull.

City kept plugging away with no great urgency. Bobb had a shot blocked, Alvarez nearly scored by charging the ball down at Foderingham's feet, and the goalkeeper made a low save from Foden.

It is hard to pose much threat when you only have 18 per cent of the ball and Bogle's blocked shot in the 89th minute was all they could muster in the second half. Even that earned him a booking, for pulling Nathan Ake back as he tried to break.

It was men against boys stuff but it is hard to be too harsh on the boys, not when the men are so obviously good as City's.

Manchester City: Ederson; Walker (Dias 67), Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic (Lewis 67), Rodri; Silva, Foden, Grealish (Bobb 51); Alvarez.

Unused substitutes: Phillips, de Bruyne, Ortega, Gomez, Nunes, Hamilton.

Sheffield United: Foderingham; Bogle, Baldock, Robinson, Trusty, Thomas (Norrington-Davies 89); Norwood, Souza, Brooks (Osborn 80); Slimane (Brewster 67); Osula (Archer 67)

Unused substitutes: Davies, McBurnie, Traore, Larouci, Seriki.

Referee: D Coote