City rallies its way to Premiership crown
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND Manchester City had been here before, losing at home and at risk of throwing away the title.
Would the leaders choke like never before in the Premier League?
The prospect of a first-ever lead change on the final day was growing with Villa ahead 2-0 before a stunned crowd at Etihad Stadium, while challenger Liverpool chased a win over Wolverhampton.
Just like when a comeback was conjured in 2012 to win their first Premier League title with two stoppage-time goals, City produced another rousing recovery.
This time it took three goals — all scored within five minutes from the 76th — to turn it around against Villa and win 3-2 to successfully defend the title by a single point.
Liverpool and Wolves were tied 1-1 at Anfield when City was trailing Villa. But the importance of lkay Gündogan’s second goal for City in the 81st minute was magnified moments later, when Mohamed Salah sent Liverpool in front against Wolves before Andy Robertson sealed a 3-1 win.
“We came back from the dead today and won the game,” captain Fernandinho said after his final game for City. “It’s an amazing feeling.”
Relief, followed by pure bliss.
No wonder thousands of City fans flooded onto the field at the final whistle, defying new orders against pitch invasions. Soon the stadium was cloaked in blue smoke.
Once the field was cleared, the Premier League trophy could be handed to City for the sixth time in 11 seasons.
“Sometimes it’s nice to live these kind of situations,” coach Pep Guar- diola said after winning his fourth Premier League title since taking charge of City in 2016. “We live it for the future.”
Later, City issued an apology for what the club described as an assault on Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen. Sky Sports footage showed Olsen covering his head as City supporters swarmed the field.
Olsen then appeared to engage in a verbal confrontation with a fan before being clipped by the arm of another supporter.
Liverpool — the only team to disrupt City’s run of titles since 2018 with its 2020 success — had to settle for second place. Jürgen Klopp’s FA Cup and League Cup winners, however, still have a shot at a treble with the Champions League final to come against Real Madrid on Saturday.
Tottenham is returning to the Champions League next season after a two-season absence thanks to a 5-0 rout of last-place Norwich clinching fourth place. There will be no return to European soccer’s top-tier competition for Arsenal, however, despite a 5-1 win over Everton to finish fifth.
Manchester United will join Arsenal in the Europa League under new manager Erik ten Hag despite losing 1-0 to Crystal Palace. West Ham wasted the chance to dislodge United from sixth place after losing 3-1 at Brighton, so this season’s Europa League semifinalists will drop into the Europa Conference League.
Dropping out of the Premier League after six seasons is Burnley after a 2-1 loss to Newcastle. Leeds capped its recovery under American coach Jesse Marsch by beating Brentford 2-1 to avoid relegation.