City’s panache pays off with second title
Free- spending club takes Premiership crown with its own brand of stylish football
MANCHESTER — As the final whistle confirmed Manchester City’s second Premier League title in three years, a wave of blueshirted fans swept across the Etihad Stadium pitch, dancing and celebrating, showing that even recent acquaintance with the trophy had not lessened their hunger to see it won back. “Oops we did it again,” one of the banners declared.
Francis Lee, Colin Bell and Mike Summerbee, members of the titlewinning class of 1967- 68, looked on admiringly. They had performed with panache in becoming champions back then as had Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Samir Nasri and company now.
West Ham fans stayed on to applaud City, who have suffered in the decades dominated by their “noisy” neighbours, Manchester United.
This was the season when City held their nerve, when trust, togetherness and belief defined the team. After losing at Anfield on April 13, City were seven points behind Liverpool ( albeit with two games in hand) but never lost the faith. Even when then drawing against Sunderland, they stayed calm. This was a triumph for exhilarating attacking, bringing 102 goals in the league ( and 156 in all competitions), and for patience and intelligence. City fans roared as a picture of manager Manuel Pellegrini appeared on the screen, next to the words The Engineer, his nickname and professional qualification.
He was typically humble in victory, simply standing around smiling, enjoying the moment with his family who had flown in from Chile. He spoke afterwards of his desire for victory but victory through beauty. Soccer was “an entertainment business” and the fans who pay to watch deserve to be entertained.
And this is why City, for all their over- spending, are worthy champions and should be respected, even cherished. Under Pellegrini, they play soccer the right way.