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May 20 – Manchester City’s domination of English football was extended to an unprecedented fourth straight league title on a dramatic final day of action Sunday but the elephant in the room still looms large.
City went into the final game of the season needing a win over West Ham to become champions once more – and duly delivered 3-1, celebrating wildly and in the process wrecking Arsenal’s dream of lifting the crown for the first time in a generation.
Four titles in a row is also six in seven seasons for manager Pep Guardiola, who has won 17 trophies since heading to the blue half of Manchester in 2016. That number could rise to 18 as soon as next Saturday when City play Manchester United in the FA Cup final, looking for a domestic double to add to last season’s treble.
In all, Guardiola has won 38 trophies as a coach at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City to strengthen the case for him to be considered the greatest manager of his era.
“In terms of numbers, nobody has been better than us – the records, the goals, the points and four in a row,” said Guardiola. “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.”
Arsenal certainly pushed City all the way, losing just one of 18 league games in 2024, yet for the second season running couldn’t get over the line, finishing two points adrift despite a 2-1 win over Everton.
Their wait for a top-flight title has now edged into a third decade, the most recent coming in 2004. “Now we have to be more determined, very courageous, very ambitious, and we need to go to a different level. We need to deliver,” said manager Mikel Arteta.
Whether Arsenal will be able to go one better in the future remains to be seen but there is a significant cloud hanging over City’s all-conquering success – the outcome of 115 charges made against them for alleged financial wrongdoing.
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Source link : https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/05/20/man-city-complete-record-four-peat-premier-league-titles-now-look-fa-cup-double/
Author : Paul Nicholson
Publish date : 2024-05-20 14:08:51
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