Manchester City clinched the Premier League title as the champion crushed Brighton & Hove Albion 4-1 on the south-coast on Sunday.
The victorious Manchester City team with the Premier League trophy
Manchester:
Goals from Sergio Aguero, Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Guendogan gave City a comfortable victory in the end, after a brief moment of panic in the visiting ranks. Glenn Murray’s header gave Brighton a surprise 27th minute lead. Argentine striker Aguero, whose last-gasp goal secured City’s first PL title in heart-stopping fashion seven years ago, levelled 83 seconds later and Laporte’s thumping header put City ahead before the break.
With Liverpool leading against Wolves, the Anfield club hoped for something extraordinary to happen in the south-coast sunshine. But when City winger Mahrez drove an unstoppable shot past Brighton goalkeeper Mathew Ryan just past the hour, the away fans could get the party started. Gundogan then struck a majestic free-kick to find the net in the 72nd minute.
City has now won four league titles in eight seasons but captain Vincent Kompany, whose sublime shot earned it a crucial 1-0 win over Leicester City last Monday, said this was the most satisfying of them all. “Back to back, it was the hardest and most satisfying ever. Liverpool was exceptional this year. I don’t mean to rub it in, it didn’t deserve to lose,” said Kompany.
“But we played against such a good team all season and until now we were able to stay in front.” Spaniard Guardiola can now become the first manager to claim the English domestic treble if City beats Watford in next week’s FA Cup final, having already scooped up the League Cup.
Liverpool misses out
Liverpool’s 29-year wait for a league title will continue after it settled for the runner-up spot behind winner Manchester City despite Sadio Mane scoring twice in a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Manchester United ended its PL campaign with a 0-2 home defeat at the hands of relegated Cardiff City after Nathaniel Mendez-Laing struck in each half to give the Bluebirds a fine farewell from the top flight.
City ended the season with 98 points, two shy of last season’s record-breaking 100, while Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield saw it finish on 97 — by far the largest tally for a PL runner-up spot. Such was Liverpool’s tenacity in the title race that it took an incredible 14th straight league victory for Pep Guardiola’s City to become the first club in a decade to retain the title.
Goals from Sergio Aguero, Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Guendogan gave City a comfortable victory in the end, after a brief moment of panic in the visiting ranks. Glenn Murray’s header gave Brighton a surprise 27th minute lead. Argentine striker Aguero, whose last-gasp goal secured City’s first PL title in heart-stopping fashion seven years ago, levelled 83 seconds later and Laporte’s thumping header put City ahead before the break.
With Liverpool leading against Wolves, the Anfield club hoped for something extraordinary to happen in the south-coast sunshine. But when City winger Mahrez drove an unstoppable shot past Brighton goalkeeper Mathew Ryan just past the hour, the away fans could get the party started. Gundogan then struck a majestic free-kick to find the net in the 72nd minute.
City has now won four league titles in eight seasons but captain Vincent Kompany, whose sublime shot earned it a crucial 1-0 win over Leicester City last Monday, said this was the most satisfying of them all. “Back to back, it was the hardest and most satisfying ever. Liverpool was exceptional this year. I don’t mean to rub it in, it didn’t deserve to lose,” said Kompany.
“But we played against such a good team all season and until now we were able to stay in front.” Spaniard Guardiola can now become the first manager to claim the English domestic treble if City beats Watford in next week’s FA Cup final, having already scooped up the League Cup.
Liverpool misses out
Liverpool’s 29-year wait for a league title will continue after it settled for the runner-up spot behind winner Manchester City despite Sadio Mane scoring twice in a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Manchester United ended its PL campaign with a 0-2 home defeat at the hands of relegated Cardiff City after Nathaniel Mendez-Laing struck in each half to give the Bluebirds a fine farewell from the top flight.