Manchester City became champions of English football for a third consecutive time this Saturday, finishing the season strong as they took advantage of Arsenal’s break to rehabilitate the title.
City, with Portuguese Rúben Dias and Bernardo Silva (João cancelo, who left for Bayern in January, is also champion), secured the championship after Arsenal lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest to secure their ninth title in its history.
The ‘citizens’, led by Spaniard Pep Guardiola, managed to win a run of 11 consecutive games in the English league and move into the lead of the league, with the ‘shooters’ losing the advantage and missing out on a title that has since eluded them the 2003/04 season.
Arsenal took the lead of the league in isolation for most of the season, despite the rivals amassing several games behind, but City’s victory in the clash between the two sides proved decisive.
On matchday 33, City, who had already won Arsenal (3-1) in the first round, won and beat the ‘gunners’ 4-1 and left the game with two points less on the table, but also with at least two games played and depending only on you.
As they beat West Ham 3-1, in a game late for the 28th round, played between the 34th and 35th day, City reached the top of the Premier League with a point advantage, which later increased to four, after the Arsenal’s defeat at home to Brighton, with the ‘citizens’ still a game in credit.
Arsenal’s final end of the season was disastrous for the group’s goalscoring streak led by Spaniard Mikel Arteta, with the team adding three draws, three losses and just two wins between matchdays 30 and 37.
Signed from Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland has been one of Manchester City’s key figures and on his debut he did not disappoint expectations, becoming the best single-season scorer in the Premier League since its inception of the league in 1992, scoring 36 championship goals.
Another of the main “stars” is the Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bryune, one of the leaders of the team, in a season marked by the confirmation of Jack Grealish, much supported by players who have worked with Guardiola for some time, such as Gundogan, Rodri, Foden, Stones or the former Benfica Ederson.
Among the reinforcements, defender Akanji, who came over from Dortmund, and striker Julian Álvarez, recruited from River Plate, also fully fit into the coach’s plan and were key players.
As for the Portuguese, midfielder Bernardo Silva remains indispensable and an extension of the coach on the field, while center back Rúben Dias went through some difficulties after the World Cup due to injury, but ended the season on a good note. Full-back João Cancelo started the season with the club, but left for Bayern Munich midway through the season.
The three-time English champions’ titles may not end there, as City still have a guaranteed place in the FA Cup final, taking on United’s rivals.
However, for City’s season, which even started with a defeat in the English Super Cup against Liverpool, to be considered a success, the club must beat the Italians of Inter Milan in the final of the Champions League.
The ‘Champions’ is the missing trophy for Manchester City, after seasons of heavy investment in signings and, following a lost final to Chelsea in 2020/21, Pep Guardiola’s pupils have another chance to get their hands on the coveted trophy.
Without the Champions League, no domestic title is enough to take Manchester City to Olympus.
The defeat at Nottingham, with a lone goal from Taiwo Awoniyi (19 minutes), leaves Arsenal, who have led the Premier League for much of the season and only have one game left to play, with 81 points, already a pair of unattainable four from Manchester City, who have 85 and have three games left.
The team of Rúben Dias and Bernardo Silva, alongside João Cancelo, who was loaned to Bayern Munich in January, added their ninth English title, third consecutive and fifth in the last six seasons, and could also win the Champions League this year. to win. season and the FA Cup, competitions in which it is in the final.
Source: DN
