When everything was to be decided in the English high school division, the eyes were on the one hand directed towards Manchester where the city’s light blue team was set against Aston Villa at home at the Etihad Stadium.
On the other hand against Liverpool where Wolverhampton came to visit.
One point separated Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City from Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool. The conditions were simple in advance: If Manchester City wins their match, the team will also take home the league for the second year in a row and for the fourth time since the Spanish coach came to Manchester in 2016.
With that knowledge, City rushed forward. In the usual Pep manner, the home team had both a crushing ball possession (over 70 percent in the first half) and quick changes the few times Aston Villa, where Robin Olsen made his league debut, were allowed to have the ball. At the same time, Liverpool ended up in an early disadvantage against Wolves.
Every now and then another league title seemed to be very close.
But when Liverpool’s Sadio Mané equalized away at Wolverhampton and Matty Cash ten minutes later shocked the entire Etihad by giving Aston Villa the lead, the mood immediately became nervous.
To the other in the half, Guardiola threw in both Raheem Sterling and Oleksandr Zintjenko. Despite that, the home team looked anxious. As if the air had gone out of them in connection with the goal, even though City at this stage still led the league thanks to Liverpool’s then draw.
With 20 minutes left to play, Philippe Coutinho, who once played for Liverpool, extended Aston Villa’s lead to 2-0. But with three quick goals (in minutes 76, 78 and 81), Manchester City came back. First through Ilkay Gündogan, then via midfielder Rodri and finally through Gündogan again.
The late turnaround was reminiscent of the end of the 2012 season, when Manchester City with two goals in the final minutes took home the club’s first league title since 1968.
Now it did not matter that Liverpool finally took the lead at home at Anfield. City’s three points meant that they can call themselves Premier League champions again in 2022.
Elsewhere Tottenham had no problem dismissing already relegated Norwich. Dejan Kulusevski scored two of the goals in the 5-0 victory that secured a fourth place and thus participation in next season’s Champions League.
At the bottom of the table, Burnley lost to Newcastle. This means that the team, together with Norwich and Watford, will play in the Championship next year.
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