RALLY LIFTS CITY TO TITLE
Manchester City had been here before, losing at home and risking throwing away the title.
Would the leaders choke like never before in the Premier League?
The prospect of a firstever changing of the lead on the final day was growing Sunday with Aston Villa leading 2-0 at the stunned Etihad Stadium as challenger Liverpool chased a win over Wolverhampton.
Just like when a comeback was conjured up in 2012 to win its first Premier League title with two stoppage-time goals, City produced another rousing recovery.
This time it took three goals — all scored in five minutes from the 76th minute — to turn it around against Villa to win 3-2 and successfully defend the title by a single point.
Even when City was losing, Liverpool was still in second place because it was only drawing 1-1 with Wolves at Anfield.
But the importance of lkay Gundogan’s second goal 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 for Liverpool.
“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.
The Premier League trophy was handed to City for the sixth time in 11 seasons. That looked unlikely when Matty Cash headed Villa in front in the 37th minute and former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho extended the lead in the 69th.
It took Gundogan’s header to begin the comeback in the 76th and Rodri equalized two minutes later. When Gundogan tapped in Kevin De Bruyne’s cross in the 81st, the comeback was complete.
“Sometimes it’s nice to live these kind of situations,“Pep Guardiola said after winning his fourth Premier
League title since taking charge of City in 2016. “We live it for the future. I had a feeling that it will help us to be stronger next season.”
Liverpool — the only team to disrupt City’s run of titles since 2018 with its 2020 success — had to settle for second place, one point behind City. Jurgen Klopp’s FA Cup and League Cup winners are, however, still on for a possible treble with the Champions League final Saturday against Real Madrid.
“The season was so close, so tight,” Klopp said. “What I learned in life is, if you keep going, you get the reward. Not today but we will get it. It’s up to us to keep going.”
After the game, Manchester City issued an apology for what the club described as an assault on Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen during a field invasion by City fans.
More Premier League
Tottenham will be back in the Champions League next season after a two-season absence thanks to a 5-0 rout of last-place Norwich clinching fourth place. Son Heung-min scored twice to finish the season as joint-top league scorer with Salah on 23 goals. Tottenham finished two points ahead of Arsenal, which routed Everton 5-1.
Manchester United will join Arsenal in the Europa League 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.
Milan wins Serie A
The city of Milan was swarming with a sea of celebrating red-and-black fans as AC Milan secured its first Serie A title in 11 years with a 3-0 win at Sassuolo. Rafael Leao set up all three firsthalf goals, two by Olivier Giroud. The 22-year-old Leao was presented with the Serie A player of the season award after the match.