Manchester City's 7-2 win over Stoke is the latest indication of where the Premier League is heading

After the clash between Liverpool and Manchester United slogged to, at times, an unwatchable 0-0 draw at Anfield, Manchester City's belittling of Stoke City became the headline-grabbing result of the weekend in England, and while the 90 minutes alone was glorious, a dark undertone was born from it.

City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne put in a performance that secured his status as the best player in the Premier League; winger Raheem Sterling showed signs that his end product is improving and everyone else in blue put out a serious statement that the title will be held aloft by Pep Guardiola's side in May...or, more likely, earlier than that.

29 - Man City are the 1st top-flight team to net 29 goals in their first 8 league games of the season since Everton in 1894-95 (30). Update. https://t.co/T0KLleo0Xh

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 14, 2017

Pundits will keep telling you, with increasing fortitude, that the Premier League is "the most unpredictable league in the world" and other weekend results like Crystal Palace beating Chelsea and Watford overcoming Arsenal will reinforce that view, but the bigger picture is a much more alarming one.

It is still only October and already this season we have seen Man City beat Liverpool 5-0, Watford 6-0 and Crystal Palace 5-0 (in successive weeks) before Saturday's 7-2 over Mark Hughes' Potters.

That is not just ex-Barcelona boss Guardiola making mincemeat out of the rest of the division, however.

Chelsea have also thrashed Stoke (4-0 at the Bet365 Stadium), while Manchester United have put four past West Ham United, Swansea City, Everton and Palace whereas Arsenal have netted three at home to Leicester City and Bournemouth. Tottenham too have dismantled Everton and Huddersfield Town, overcoming them 3-0 and 4-0 respectively.

While the battle between the top six is arguably 'fiercer than ever', which you have just read in Martin Tyler's voice, the gap between those and the other 14 teams is growing at an alarming rate, despite all 20 teams in the Premier League getting an even (as possible) share of the funds the league gets.

Not that the 'big six' would like that to continue. They want their impact on the global market reflected in the amount of money they get, thus rendering any competition between them and the others non-existent.

Earlier this month, that idea was put to the rest of the Premier League but the movement has only been delayed rather than derailed as no vote was taken due to a lack of support. They meet again in November and the recent meeting only suggests the 'smaller' clubs may be open to discussion.

Swansea co-owner Steve Kaplan told BBC Sport: "Everyone came into the room with good intentions. I think they still have good intentions. I'm optimistic."

Even if they do officially cease that idea, it will only fuel the terrifying prospect of the Premier League disbanding so the heavyweights can leave and create the grandiose 'European Super League' they crave. It has already been discussed, sources at Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United have admitted.

UEFA have other ideas - currently, anyway, as president Aleksander Ceferin said in April that the governing body "will never give in to blackmail."

“To some clubs, I shall say it calmly and dispassionately, but firmly and resolutely: there will be no closed league. Quite simply, that is not in line with our values and ideals

"We will never give in to the blackmail of those who think they can manipulate small leagues or impose their will on the associations because they think they are all powerful on account of the astronomical revenues they generate.

"Quite simply, money does not rule and the football pyramid must and will be respected."Although maybe that might be for the best, as sooner or later fans are going to get sick of watching their team lose by five or six multiple times a season."

Maybe a European Super League might not be such a worrying thought though, especially for the fans smaller clubs, as sooner or later they are going to get sick of watching their team lose by four or five multiple times a season.