CITY SHOW OF STRENGTH
Champions flex muscles amid a party atmosphere
WITH the title wrapped up on Saturday night, Manchester City’s jubilant fans may have been denied witnessing the moment of triumph.
But as City celebrated a fifth Premier League title in six years, they were afforded a glimpse of just how far ahead of the opposition their side remain.
Victory over Chelsea seemed necessary even if the table disagreed given the fireworks, flags, blow-up bananas and streamers in situ.
Yet in doing it with what was effectively their B team, the Premier League champions demonstrated in unbroken sunshine just how powerful they have become.
It would be an interesting topic for the late night drinking spots as to how far City’s reserves might go if they were to contest the Premier League.
And while it will never be answered – good news for those battling relegation – on this showing they would probably do pretty well.
If Chelsea have not had a good season – most likely finishing just under the halfway mark in the table – City’s reserves still put them comfortably to bed here.
A more pertinent point after watching City’s benchwarmers keep Chelsea at arm’s length was that the strength in depth in the squad available to Pep Guardiola has been the difference this season.
Phil Foden has been kept out of the starting XI by the excellence of Jack Grealish and the enduring brilliance of Ilkay Gundogan. Aymeric Laporte cannot get past Ruben Dias, nor Riyad Mahrez past Bernardo Silva and Julian Alvarez, like the rest of the Premier League, remains in Erling Haaland’s shadow.
So we had the sight of nine of Guardiola’s first-choice XI resting in the sunshine behind him, £475million worth of
talent in tracksuits, plunderers of 90 goals between them this season under wraps.
It meant a place in the line-up for Kalvin Phillips, who has had to wait until after the club wrapped up the title for his first Premier League start since arriving last summer.
There were also starts for Stefan Ortega, Aymeric Laporte, Sergio Gomez and Cole Palmer – all good players but players that have spent much of the season in reserve.
As is usual nowadays Chelsea afforded the newlycrowned champions a guard of honour, yet it was tempting to suggest they lined up clapping either side of the subs bench.
Whatever the personnel, City’s fans had to wait just 12 minutes for a lead which they held until the final whistle.
A sweeping move through Foden and Palmer ended with Alvarez on the edge of the area. His right-foot shot arrowed low past Kepa for his ninth Premier League goal of the season.
Details of the match from there seemed but footnotes as the party atmosphere warmed throughout the Poznans and the standing up for the Champions. Chelsea found Ortega in good form, denying Kai Havertz and Raheem Sterling. Conor Gallagher hit the post with a header while Phillips did the same for City just before the hour mark.
And while Guardiola brought on some of his bigger guns with 15 minutes to go as he protected a fragile lead and guarded against accusations of hubris, City kept Chelsea at bay.
There is the small matter of a Treble to secure at Wembley and in Istanbul as City look to crown a near perfect season.
And then there is every prospect that they continue to hold the opposition at bay for some time to come.