By Score More & Agencies
A 3-1 victory over West Ham secured Manchester City another Premier League title, their sixth since Pep Guardiola’s arrival at the Etihad and their sixth in the last seven years. After a shaky start to the season, City found their form at the beginning of 2024 and, as in the previous season, robbed Arsenal of their dream, who entered the final matchday of the Premier League still with a chance of the title.
There is an air of inevitability about Manchester City’s Premier League titles. Whatever the journey, the stumbles, or the problems, everything seems to magically straighten out when the moment demands it, frustrating those who dream of ending a dominance that, in the last seven years, has only been interrupted by Liverpool in the pandemic season.
With a 3-1 win over West Ham, Pep Guardiola’s team confirmed their 10th English title, their fourth in a row, something unprecedented in the 100-year history of English football. As in the last season, when Arsenal came close to the title, with a seven-point lead in front, City ended the season with a smile on their face after, in the meantime, seeming somewhat lost. In October, they squandered the lead, finishing fifth, six points behind Arsenal, and in mid-December, they reached a somewhat proud record of a month without winning in the Premier League.
Perhaps it was the wake-up call needed for the super team assembled by Pep Guardiola’s very particular sensibilities to get back in order. From mid-December onwards, they did not lose a single game in all competitions and the overtaking of Liverpool and Arsenal on the right happened with a series of 10 consecutive victories in the Premier League, while their rivals gave in to the pressure here and there. Arsenal, who finished the league with 84 points a year ago, did better this year, with 89. Manchester City, even with their hesitations, finished the league with 91 points. You have to miss very little to beat this City in marathon mode.
The Londoners had faint hopes of still reaching the title: they needed to win, which they did, 2-1 against Everton, but they needed City to drop points. What at this point seemed unlikely.
Two of the goals in this providential Sunday’s victory came from the genius of Phil Foden, a homegrown boy and recently considered the best player in the Premier League 2023/24, in a season in which Rodri was the man for the big games. Although less productive than in his debut year, Haaland scored 27 goals in the Premier League and Bernardo Silva once again became one of Guardiola’s trusted soldiers.
The Catalan coach, who won his 6th title in England, joining George Ramsey and Bob Paisley in second place on the list led by Alex Ferguson, lost Mahrez and Laporte to Saudi millions and Gundogan left for Barcelona on a free transfer at the beginning of the season. But the experience of Mateo Kovacic, the irreverence of Jeremy Doku, and the Croatian full-back Gvardiol, as well as the Portuguese Matheus Nunes, joined the squad.
The changes were not felt and City continued their legend, although the title does not come without controversy: the 115 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, known in February 2023, remain without sanction and the league has been opaque about the scheduled dates for the club’s hearing.
Manchester City’s dominance of English football shows no signs of abating. With Guardiola at the helm and a squad brimming with talent, they are well-placed to continue their reign for years to come. However, the club’s off-field issues could cast a shadow over their achievements. The Premier League’s investigation into their financial irregularities is ongoing, and the outcome could have serious consequences for City. Only time will tell how this saga will unfold.