Manchester City win thrilling title race, break Liverpool hearts
Pep Guardiola’s team won 4-1 at Brighton to finish with 98 points — the second-highest total in Premier League history — as Liverpool beat Wolves 2-0 at Anfield to finish a single, agonising, point adrift.
City, who strung together 14 league wins at the end of the season, are the first side to retain the title since their bitter rivals Manchester United managed the feat in 2009, and remain on course for the first domestic treble in English football history.
But Guardiola’s team of aristocrats did not have it all their own way on a day of drama on England’s south coast in keeping with an astonishing season in which the lead switched hands time after time.
Liverpool drew first blood on Sunday, with Sadio Mane striking in the 17th minute to put them mathematically top of the table and on course for their first English top-flight title since 1990, before the Premier League era even started.
City fans’ nerves were shredded even further when Glenn Murray put Brighton in front from a corner in the 27th minute, drawing a huge roar at Anfield.
But those cheers were quickly muted, with Guardiola’s side level just 83 seconds later, Sergio Aguero staying onside and keeping his cool to finish after a brilliant ball from David Silva.
Ten minutes later, the unmarked Aymeric Laporte rose to head in Riyad Mahrez’s corner to complete the turnaround for City.
Guardiola’s side continued to dominate at the start of the second half and were rewarded when Mahrez smashed in a third City goal with 27 minutes to go.
Ilkay Gundogan then blasted home a free-kick to put the result beyond doubt.
– ‘Hardest Premier League’ –
“Back to back… I think it was the hardest, most tough Premier League ever,” City captain Vincent Kompany told Sky Sports.
“Liverpool was exceptional. I don’t meant to rub it in, it is what it is, they didn’t deserve to lose.
“It makes me so much more happy that we played such a great team all season. We had our backs to the wall, we won at the Etihad and today we were able to stay in front.”
City announced they would celebrate with their own fans at their Etihad Stadium later Sunday