Nothing can stop City
Look set to better Chelsea’s mark with three matches in hand
Manchester City equalled the Premier League record for most wins in a season as the imperious champions powered to a 4-1 victory at West Ham yesterday.
Pep Guardiola’s side now have 30 wins this term, matching the record set by Chelsea last season, and will take sole possession of the milestone with one more success in their last three games.
Arsene Wenger’s final match at Old Trafford as Arsenal manager ended in 2-1 defeat with a stoppage time header from substitute Marouane Fellaini earning the points for second-placed Manchester United.
Paul Pogba drove United into the lead in the 16th minute, pouncing after Alexis Sanchez had headed a Romelu Lukaku cross against the post.
Sweeping West Ham aside with their trademark swagger, City went ahead through Leroy Sane before an own goal from their former defender Pablo Zabaleta doubled the lead.
Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick reduced the deficit before halftime, but Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho netted for City after the interval.
Simply untouchable for most of the season, City are bidding to cement their status as one of the alltime great Premier League teams by rewriting the record books.
They have scored 102 league goals in 35 games, making them the fastest English top-flight side to reach the century mark since Everton in 1931-32.
City are one goal short of the Premier League record of 103 set by Chelsea in 2009-10.
Guardiola’s team also need three more points to eclipse Chelsea’s 95-point Premier League record from 2004-05.
In contrast, West Ham face an anxious finale to a troubled season as they fight to avoid the drop in their last three games.
David Moyes’ men have won once in their last eight league fixtures and sit just three points above the relegation zone.
With the title wrapped up two weeks ago, Guardiola has had no problems keeping his players motivated.
Last weekend’s 5-0 thrashing of Swansea showed the champions hadn’t taken their eye off the ball, even if goalkeeper Ederson’s unsuccessful campaign to take a penalty was a sign of the relaxed mood in the City camp. After being given a guard of honour by West Ham’s players before kick-off, City set about dismantling their generous hosts. It was Sane who landed the first blow in the 13th minute, although the German winger’s 14th goal of the season owed more to good fortune than great inspiration.
Complete control
Taking possession on the right-hand side of the West Ham area, Sane was granted too much time and space by the home defence. He took full advantage, unleashing a powerful strike that took a wicked deflection off West Ham defender Patrice Evra on its way past the wrong-footed Adrian.
When City struck again in the 27th minute, the farcical manner of the goal left the ragged Hammers red-faced. Adrian’s rash sprint off his line let in Sterling for a shot that was headed clear, but the ball was worked wide to Kevin De Bruyne.
De Bruyne sent over a low cross which Adrian could only deflect towards Hammers defender Declan Rice, whose panicked clearance hit Zabaleta and trickled into the net. City were in complete control, yet they suddenly lost focus.
City paid for their brief dip in the 42nd minute when Cresswell bent his free-kick over the wall and through Ederson’s weak attempted save. City regained their composure at half-time and normal service was resumed in the 53rd minute when Jesus bagged his 16th goal of the season.
Sterling, picked out by Jesus, made a fine run and pinpoint pass that allowed the Brazilian to steer home from close-range.
City weren’t finished yet and Fernandinho buried Sterling’s pass in the 64th minute to seal the rout.
City are bidding to cement their status as one of the all-time great Premier League teams by rewriting the record books.
Champions of Scotland again, Celtic’s seventh straight title was made all the more special by the fact it was bitter rivals Rangers who were embarrassed once more 5-0 yesterday to mathematically get Brendan Rodgers’s men over the line.
Despite an understandable slip in standards following a historic treble of domestic trophies without suffering a single defeat last season, there was rarely any doubt who would win the league from the moment the season kicked off in August.
Trailing the champions by 13 points, Rangers — only in their second season back in the topflight since dropping down to the fourth tier after going into liquidation in 2012 — have a battle with Aberdeen and Hibernian in the remaining three games of the season just to be the second best.
In 11 games against Celtic since being promoted, Rangers are yet win a Glasgow derby and have now conceded 30 goals in nine defeats.
More history beckons for Rodgers with Celtic just one game away in the Scottish Cup final against Motherwell next month from becoming the first side in Scottish football history to win back-to-back trebles.
Constant speculation
The hope from the Celtic supporters and board is that the Northern Irishman will honour the contract he signed last year till 2020 to complete 10-ina-row and break the previous best nine consecutive titles set by both sides of the Old Firm rivalry.
The former Liverpool manager was quickly linked with taking over at Arsenal when Arsene Wenger announced his decision to leave at the end of the season last week.
Yet, despite constant speculation over whether there is enough of a challenge at Celtic to prevent Rodgers being tempted by a return to the right job in the Premier League, Rodgers himself has insisted there is still plenty for him to achieve at Celtic Park.
“There is still a lot of work for me to do here to achieve on the pitch and off the pitch. But you can only do that if you are happy and, for me, I couldn’t be happier at this club,” said Rodgers.
“Already we are thinking how can we improve for next year, how can we be better in our form and our game? How can we be better in all aspects? So that’s something that is important.”
Having already seen off three Rangers managers, the next appointment at Ibrox could see Rodgers come up against one of his most illustrious former players.