Manchester City won an unprecedented fourth straight Premier League title with a 3-1 victory over West Ham United on Sunday (Monday AEST) to pip rivals Arsenal on the final day of a thrilling season.
Two glorious early goals from league player of the season Phil Foden created a party atmosphere in the sunshine at Etihad Stadium. A stunning bicycle kick by Mohammed Kudus before half-time brought West Ham briefly into the game, but Rodri sealed victory with a low 59th-minute shot from outside the area, giving Pep Guardiola’s side a sixth title in seven years.
City have the chance of winning the double when they face Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
“It’s so hard to put into words what we’ve done today,” Foden said.
“No team has ever [won four Premier League titles in a row]. You see what it means to the fans and it means to us. Working all year for this moment. I thought today we just looked confident and just played our football and in the end it paid off.”
The midfielder has scored 19 league goals this season and has won six Premier League titles at just 23, making him one of England’s best hopes for this year’s Euros in Germany.
Matheus Nunes holds the Premier League trophy aloft as Manchester City celebrate their title victory.Credit: Getty
The historic win has been achieved under a cloud with the club’s future somewhat up in the air ahead of a sports tribunal hearing regarding charges against the Abu Dhabi-owned club. City face about 80 alleged breaches of the Premier League financial rules and 30 more relating to their alleged failure to co-operate with a subsequent investigation. If found guilty, penalties could include an expulsion from the top division.
Another question that will be debated long and hard is whether this City team should be considered English football’s greatest of all time.
No other English team has won four titles in succession. Not during Liverpool’s dominant era in the 1970s and ’80s – and not during Manchester United’s in the ’90s and 2000s. That alone sets City apart – and by winning the Champions League last season, they have also completed a full set of major trophies during an era of unprecedented success.
“In terms of numbers, nobody has been better than us – the records, the goals, the points and four in a row,” Guardiola said. “If I land here tomorrow and you say I will win six Premier Leagues in seven years, I would say ‘Are you crazy?’ It’s impossible. We have done something unbelievable.”
Hundreds of fans crowded onto the touchline in the final minute of injury time.
Players took matters into their own hands, with both Erling Haaland and Rodri approaching the stands to express their anger with fans who had starting celebrating prematurely – resulting in referee John Brooks delaying the game and the final whistle.
In one of the closest title races in Premier League history, Arsenal could have taken the championship had City dropped points, but the Londoners’ 2-1 win in their game against Everton was in vain, leaving them two points behind.
“They [Arsenal’s players] have done an incredible job and they have pushed every limit, every margin that we could find to try to win this Premier League,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal beat Everton, but it was all in vain.Credit: Getty Images
“Unfortunately, it was a bit short and we could not deliver the big prize that we wanted because you can feel it that they are desperate for it.
“We are on the right trajectory now, so we need really to put the teeth and bite into it because we really want more.”
Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham beat Championship-bound Sheffield United 3-0 to stay ahead of Chelsea and claim automatic qualification into the second-tier Europa League.
The result means Spurs finish with 66 points, two points below fourth-placed Aston Villa and three above Chelsea.
Ange Postecoglou applauds Spurs fans after the clash with Sheffield United.Credit: Getty
Dejan Kulusevski netted a goal in each half while Pedro Porro also scored with a thunderbolt that gave Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham no chance.
The Blades, whose relegation was confirmed last month, finished the season with the worst defensive record in Premier League history after they conceded 104 goals in 38 games.
Klopp’s Liverpool career ends on high note
Liverpool beat Wolves 2-0 in a dead rubber, Jurgen Klopp’s side having already secured third place in his final season at the club.
Moments after the final whistle blew on Klopp’s career at Liverpool, the much-loved German encouraged the Anfield faithful to celebrate the moment, but embrace the future. He even led the crowd in a song for incoming manager Arne Slot.
“Change is good,” the 56-year-old told the crowd. “And you never know exactly what to expect, but if you go with the right attitude into that, then everything will be fine.
“What I want you to sing, I have an idea,” he added, then launched loudly into: “Arne Slot! Na, na, na, na, na!” The crowd sang along.
On a day Liverpool fans had been dreading since Klopp announced in late January he would leave at season’s end, the manager sounded genuinely happy rather than heartbroken.
“It doesn’t feel like an end. It just feels like the start, because I saw today a football team playing full of talent, youth, creativity, desire, greed,” he said.
Aston Villa had previously claimed the last Champions League place, their 5-0 defeat at Crystal Palace having no effect on the final standings as they finished 14 points adrift of Liverpool.
Manchester United finished eighth on the table despite a 2-0 win at Brighton. United could still secure second-tier European football if they beat City in the FA Cup final.
Meanwhile, Brentford suffered a 4-2 loss to Newcastle, and Nottingham Forest beat Burnley 2-1 to secure another season in the top tier.
Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United all played their last games in the Premier League after being relegated.
Leicester and Ipswich will replace them in the Premier League, having won promotion from the Championship. They will be joined by either Leeds or Southampton, who will play off for the final spot on May 26.
AP, Reuters
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