It’s been one of the hottest topics in football, debated and speculated upon for years, seemingly arriving but equally never quite coming through.

But that’s enough about Wayne Rooney’s hairline.

Pep Guardiola, incidentally, gave up fighting his a long time ago, presumably safe in the knowledge his urbane good looks and debonair manner would only be enhanced by a bald pallette. Some people are just cool. Period.

Now, of course, the Barclays Premier League is officially preparing to welcome the Spaniard to Manchester City this summer. It’s been a long courtship but the owners, cash-rich Abu Dhabi royalty, will feel smug at having acquired arguably the premier coaching talent in the world right now.

Incumbent Manuel Pellegrini has accepted the move philosophically and with no little class. He is a likeable man but realises Guardiola is box office.

Rivals United, in particular, should hang their collective heads at being usurped so easily. While Chelsea can still fall back on the funds and singular vision of owner Roman Abramovich, Old Trafford appears relatively directionless.

That said, watching Guardiola attempt to tame English football — a unique and exhaustingly cluttered beast — will be fascinating. Notoriously obsessive, City under Guardiola will be a more intense proposition next season, raising the question of player burnout.

But that’s for the future and Pellegrini could still theoretically walk away with four trophies this season. Amazing what a bit of oil money can get you.

Last time these two met, the South Coast side hammered Arsenal 4-0 — and Southampton have improved massively since then (three league clean sheets in a row).

Arsenal missed a trick during the past clutch of fixtures and need a good win to restore winning momentum.

Prediction: 2-1

The league leaders should be confident — they have lost only once in 16 — but their record against Liverpool is not great (no wins in seven league games).

The away side’s defence remains an issue despite the goalless draw against West Ham in the FA Cup.

High-scoring but with City to nick it.

Prediction: 3-2

Norwich have been busy in the transfer market while Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, was busy p*ssing off another club with his hardheaded negotiations. Fulham got the brunt of it this transfer window.

Spurs are mighty impressive this season, though, and this has away win all over it.

Prediction: 0-2

Sergio Agüero is starting to look dangerous and he’ll be eyeing up the significant gaps in the Sunderland back line.

There is an equally huge gap in quality between the two sides.

Prediction: 0-3

Villa are definitely more compact under Remi Garde but the inadequacies in the squad remain. West Ham have significant attacking threat and in Dimitri Payet, they have one of the signings of the season.

Prediction: 2-0

Given a scare by Portsmouth in the FA Cup, the fact Bournemouth were able to bring quality off the bench and move unscathed into the next round speaks volumes for where they are as a club. Eddie Howe is assembling a tidy squad.

Palace, who have lost their past four league games, will now rely on Emmanuel Adebayor for goals, which, given he’s playing for a contract, probably means he’ll be deadly.

Prediction: 1-1

Stoke have been checked in recent weeks but know United are vulnerable if they revert to the stodgy, uninspired possession game that proved their undoing at home to Southampton.

A test of character for United after their away defeat in the corresponding fixture.

Prediction: 1-1

Saido Berahino is still a West Brom player despite his best efforts, although there are signs he may be winning his way back into manager Tony Pulis’s affections.

Swansea have a new manager and some new faces but the Hawthorns is a tough place to play.

Prediction: 2-1

Two teams adept at throwing away promising situations. So expect a lot of goals, defensive errors and shakes of the head on the touchline.

Prediction: 2-2

John Terry is now on his farewell lap at Chelsea, cue endless chest-thumping love-ins with the club’s fans. It could get old very quickly ... a little like Terry himself.

Prediction: 1-2