A collective effort Manchester city put them miles ahead of the rest and secured the title with five games to spare. This is one of the greatest teams of the Premier League, writes Adam BATE.
Jay Rodriguez would not be many people’s pick to win the Premier League title winning goal, but the ball West Brom striker at old Trafford handed the crown to Manchester city. In truth, it was quite inappropriate that Manchester United must give a title to their great rivals. The city doesn’t need any help. They were far too good.
Title race officially over, but to call this race seems an insult. PEP Guardiola and his players showed their superiority from the start. By the time they followed up their 5-0 win over Liverpool with a 6-0 thrashing of Watford that were close to perfection, it was like a procession. The city was only five games into the season. It was back in September.
They were in a battle with the history books since then. Three wins from their last five games will be enough to ensure a high score of 96. Enough to break the record for the highest number of matches won in the Premier League. Record the goals too, will go, if they are even close to the current level. It’s been some season.
As one would expect, given these statistics, there are more than one key person. Sergio Aguero once again led the way as the best scorer of the team, kicking everything with the opener in Brighton and netting the breakthrough goal in three of its first four victories of the city. There was another hat-trick against Newcastle and four goals in one game against Leicester.
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But take away all the goals from Aguero and city would remain nine points. Just as important was the fact that only two other players – Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane – more scored by Raheem sterling. Still criticized for its production, he nevertheless took on the role of a finisher, scoring late winners from Bournemouth Huddersfield and come up with a stunning stoppage-time strike in Southampton.
Kevin de bruyne, of course, the outstanding player in the winning team, provided 15 assists and counting. He could break the individual record of the season, pointing to his role as the architect of the shelling of the city, awakening from a deep to say is, cutting opponents to pieces with balls and putting goals on a plate with his crosses.
Even then, that can help tally does not tell the whole story. The protected area now collects data for a second too, to help those who pass before the pass that is considered as a significant goal. De bruyne has done more than any other player in the Premier League too. The Belgian was brilliant, but it was a season he raised his game to a new level.
And yet, once again, the City could look elsewhere for creativity. While de Bruyne is leading the way for assists on the next two men in the list of teammates. Leroy Sane as sterling grew up under Guardiola, scoring nine goals and providing 12 for others. David Silva continues to be as selfless as always, finding clever cornering that others can’t.
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In any normal season, a feat any of these men could be enough to survive. In the city, it is a collective work in which Gabriel Jesus weighed on its 10 goals. Fernandino has been the cornerstone of the midfield. Ilkay Gundogan took the time to break the record for most passes in the Premier League. And that’s just the Midfielders.
The city can also boast the best defensive record in the Premier League. Ederson was a big part of this, having a transformative impact on the defense since his arrival last summer. Perhaps even a transformative effect on goalkeepers in this country. The demand for the goalkeeper to pass the ball in short is not new, but it combined with the outrageous long passes.
He threw in saves how to stop from Romelu Lukaku, who helped to take all three points at old Trafford just emphasizes how important he was. And yet, such was the protection he received that the city has faced 77 shots on goal this season. Great if Ederson has not made a single save, the city will still be eligible for Europe.
Add Kyle Walker brought in the leg in the back and Guardiola finally has options he requires a centre-back. Nicolas Otamendi was a great season and city have been strengthened, too, the return to fitness of Vincent Kompany, and the signing of Aymeric Laporte. The early season injury to Mendy Benjamin was barely visible.
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Not many people have seen Fabian Delph, as the solution on the left flank, but then there are some coaches like Guardiola – the man at the centre of this success story. He had to listen to the entire season as a country, told him that the English title cannot be won this way. He listened, but this is not necessarily true to say that he did. Instead, Guardiola stuck to their principles.
Some of them will still point to the purchasing power of the city. Half a dozen newcomers this season in excess of £250 m to make that inevitable. But claims that Guardiola could succeed in the Premier League due to his style of play not as a player. For all funds that catches the eye, as he improved the individual is not celebrated as a world leader.
Others point to the defeat in the Champions League to Liverpool as proof that there are still flaws in this team. But even the Invincible Arsenal to conquer Europe and not Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho. Manchester city won the big game. They beat “Manchester United”. They beat Tottenham. They beat Chelsea and they won at Arsenal. Out of this team is unparalleled in the history of the Premier League.
The result, of course, I wonder where they rank. The success of Lester was more unusual. Spots Arsenal. And it will take a few title wins before this city can be adequately compared to the United dynasties reason sir Alex Ferguson. But any team is ever as good as this in a single Premier League season? Seeing the city in full flow – and the statistics they have to show for it – suggest not.
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