Not because they feared a last-minute twist and the unlikeliest of comebacks from West Ham.
The tension during the dying moments of the
A 3-1 win on the day made certain of that and soon a sea of light blue shirts flooded the field. Flares and the smell of sulphur filled the air and delirious fans danced, posed for selfies and simply savored the moment - ignoring the futile pleas from the stadium announcer and messaging on the big screens instructing them to return to their seats.
Winning has become a familiar feeling in these parts. And there is no sign of it getting old.
“It feels just as amazing as the first one. We worked so hard for it,” City midfielder
Four titles in a row is also six in seven seasons for Guardiola, who has won 17 trophies and counting since heading to the blue half of
In all, Guardiola has won 38 trophies as a coach at
“Everyone in football is in awe of his (Guardiola's) coaching but there is more to it than that," outgoing West Ham manager
Another question that will be debated long and hard is whether this City team should be considered English soccer's greatest of all time.
No other English team has won four titles in succession. Not during
That alone sets City apart - and by winning the
“In terms of numbers, nobody has been better than us - the records, the goals, the points and four in a row,” Guardiola said. “If I land here tomorrow and you say I will win six Premier Leagues in seven years, I would say ‘Are you crazy?’ It’s impossible. We have done something unbelievable.”
Guardiola took over a team that was already among the wealthiest in the world after being bought by the ruling family of
Arsenal has taken up the fight, previously offered by United and then
Still,
Arsenal looks likeliest to push City closest in the coming years, especially now that
Whether Arsenal will be able to go one better in the future remains to be seen, given City's financial power to strengthen further and the age of key players like footballer of the year
“We got the message from Mikel and his players. We have to make the right decisions in the next years because they are here to stay,” Guardiola said. “They are so young and have experience in the
How long Guardiola stays on could have a big bearing on City's continued rule. His contract runs until the end of next season.
The outcome of the 115 charges made against City for alleged financial wrongdoing could also be significant. City denies wrongdoing.
That fight is off the field and still to come.
Right now, as far as City's fans are concerned, another party has only just begun.
Arsenal could do no more. A 2-1 win against Everton at
That 2-0 home defeat against Aston Villa proved to be decisive though, giving City an advantage it never relinquished.
“What can I say? I feel sorry for all the Arsenal fans. We gave our best but it wasn’t enough,” Arsenal forward
Having spent
A prolific striker may be his priority, but his team only scored five fewer goals than City and ended with the same goal difference.
“Now we have to be more determined, very courageous, very ambitious, and we need to go to a different level. We need to deliver,” Arteta said.
UNITED PAIN
Even a 2-0 win over
“It is not good enough by far,” Ten Hag said. “Although we had less than 60 points two years ago, 58 points, eighth is the worst performance. It is the truth, but we should have done better.”
“That is a question for the owners and the sporting director,” he said.
KLOPP’S FAREWELL
Jurgen Klopp’s
While his farewell campaign ultimately ended in disappointment as Liverpool’s title bid fizzled out, Klopp’s status as an Anfield and
The German is standing down after winning a full set of major trophies in more than eight years at the club.
“When you are in it, you forget sometimes how great it is,” Klopp said. “You take it for granted. Now I stand here, I’m just so happy I’m a part of the club’s history. It’s wonderful.”
With
Nottingham Forest, which was one place above
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