As soon as Gonzalo Montiel stroked his spot-kick home and we'd enjoyed Lionel Messi's celebrations with the prize his genius deserves, all of our attentions switched back to club allegiances.
The countdown is on, folks.
Sure, Christmas is cool but Boxing Day is where it's really at. At Sunday lunchtime, with our stomachs satiated and heads perhaps a little sore, we'll all sit down to enjoy the first serving of Premier League football since 13 November.
It's back, baby!
The situation at the top is one very few foreshadowed, especially after Erling Haaland made the switch to Manchester. The Cityzens were expected to waltz to the title, but a much-improved Arsenal side have emerged as a genuine contender to City's crown.
But will the Gunners be able to maintain their incredibly high levels of performance after the World Cup?
Arsenal
The vast majority expected Arsenal to be a strong contender for a top-four spot after their summer business, but not even the most optimistic of Gooners would've predicted this.
Mikel Arteta's side entered the break five points clear at the top of the Premier League table having dropped points in just two of their opening 14 games. They've been nothing short of imperious thus far.
The introduction of William Saliba and utilisation of Ben White at right-back has helped Arsenal to the joint-best defensive record in the league, with the former's impressive recovery speed allowing the Gunners to effectively play a high line. They can suffocate opponents as a result, and the control they exude on contests is City-esque.
Granit Xhaka's redemption arc is one of the narratives of the season, while exciting young wing tandem Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are both coming of age at the Emirates. However, it's Gabriel Jesus who's been the ultimate transformer of their fortunes, and he's poised to be out of action for a while after undergoing knee surgery.
How effectively they mitigate Jesus' injury will be key to determining how far this Arsenal side can go during the second half of the season.
Manchester City
City's season thus far has been all about one man. There was much discourse in pre-season over how Erling Haaland would alter the dynamics of Pep Guardiola's side, and some raised concerns after a poor performance in the Community Shield.
18 goals in 13 games later and it's fair to say the Norwegian dynamo has hushed any potential doubters.
Haaland's goals have lifted City to the top of the scoring charts, but they've also proven to be pretty stubborn going the other way. They've only conceded 14 goals, but they were caught on their heels in defeats to Liverpool and Brentford which leaves them five points adrift of the league leaders.
There's certainly little to be concerned about on the performance front and Guardiola's side will be expected to eat into Arsenal's lead after Christmas.
Prediction
Arsenal are expected to be busy in January in a bid to maintain their title charge. However, the impact of Jesus' injury can't be understated. While the Brazilian hadn't scored a goal since the start of October, he provided so much more than mere output in the final third. He was at the heart of everything that went right for the Gunners during the first half of the season, and Eddie Nketiah has massive shoes to fill.
There's no way Arteta's side will be able to maintain their high levels of performance in Jesus' absence.
Squad depth is also an issue and Arteta's management will be tested once the Europa League resumes. City, on the other hand, have no such problems. They've been here before and many are still expecting them to stroll to the title.
It's hard to argue against that. A tough January awaits Arsenal and their lead could be extinguished by the time these two sides meet for the first time this season in February.
Source : 90min