Part 2
For the Daily Telegraph’s chief football writer Jason Burt, City’s title defence was both beautiful in conception and its execution.
And just like the rest of Fleet Street’s finest, Burt was entranced by the dramatic nature of a title race that swung back and forth all season long.
Burt scribed: “Manchester City are the Premier League champions. But that statement does not go anywhere near conveying this epic title race although it did feel so right that the goal that sealed it, the third one, the one that cleared the City bench in celebration, with Pep Guardiola punching the air, was a beauty.
“But then City’s contest with Liverpool has been a thing of beauty all season and even on this final day there was a final twist. For 21 minutes Liverpool were champions, as they scored and Brighton took the lead here, but the new world order restored itself with goals by Sergio Aguero, Aymeric Laporte and that wonderful strike by Riyad Mahrez before Ilkay Gundogan’s almost equally as stunning free-kick.
“It meant City claimed a fourth title in eight seasons and, in so doing, became the first team to retain it since Manchester United in 2009 which means a lot to manager Pep Guardiola.
“They also became the first team to end a top-flight season with 14 consecutive victories, breaking Arsenal’s record from 2002.
“It has been that stunning and it has taken such a stunning effort to beat Liverpool by just a point. Between them the two fine sides have 195 points, the first time two teams have passed 90 points in a season, with City finishing on top with 98. Incredible.”
The superlatives continue apace in the Manchester Evening News for whom chief Manchester City correspondent Stuart Brennan opines that this was the ‘greatest league campaign in English football history.’
And for Brennan, the dramatic manner of City's 2018/19 title success eclipsed even our historic Centurions campaign of last season.
Brennan reports: “First they were Centurions … but now Manchester City should be hailed for the greatest league campaign in English football history.
“The Blues made it back-to-back titles in slightly nervy fashion as Sergio Aguero and Aymeric Laporte and brilliant strikes from Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan brought them back from the brink at Brighton to win 4-1.
“The points total of 98 was two shy of last season’s record haul, but the way in which City have won this, stringing together 14 straight wins to gradually rein in the Scousers and then holding their nerve as the two teams exchanged three-point blow for three-point blow, sets it apart.
“To beat a team that lost just once in the entire season is incredible – a show of guts and nerve as well as an exhibition of the supreme quality of Pep Guardiola’s team.
“To win it against a team that clocked up 97 points- the third highest total in the league’s history – and which only lost one game in the entire campaign, is extraordinary.
“The Centurions season was incredible, but this achievement is even better.”
In the Guardian, meanwhile, Dominic Fifield hailed Guardiola’s side's strength of nerve following our 2-1 loss at Newcastle in late January.
And he believed the response to that setback was truly the stuff of champions.
Fifield penned: “City know they have been challenged this year, stretched wonderfully by Liverpool’s startling progress.
“The mind-boggling tally of points collected by Jürgen Klopp’s side would have been enough to claim the championship in all but three of the previous 119 campaigns based on three points for a win, and yet it was still not enough to overhaul Pep Guardiola’s team.
“They have won 198 points across two seasons, a staggering haul. Their 95th top-flight goal of the campaign, a free-kick whipped sumptuously into the top corner by Ilkay Gündogan, summed it all up. Mat Ryan sprang to his left but could not lay a glove on it. Opponents have been trying and failing to do that with City all season.
“Not for a decade has a side retained this title, but the form mustered in the run-in – 14 successive wins stretching back to a defeat at Newcastle in late January – represented a blistering response to the challenge on their authority being mustered from Anfield.”
comment by mancWoohoo💯 - Maximus Mardius Cob-onius (U10676)
posted 6 hours, 29 minutes ago
I have a question: where was Mendy during the presentation?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I also found it weird but when I look back it was a good thing he wasnt there. Too many things come easy for some city players where you have other team mates who do everything. John Stones is another that comes to mind. Coasts along as did walker at the start of the season.
Some players need to suffer, no more than Medy who must earn his right to play and feel like he has actually contributed. He is a fantastic player but as pogba has shown, if the concentration is slightly off you can struggle.
Monday gossip
Page 1 of 1
posted on 13/5/19
Part 2
For the Daily Telegraph’s chief football writer Jason Burt, City’s title defence was both beautiful in conception and its execution.
And just like the rest of Fleet Street’s finest, Burt was entranced by the dramatic nature of a title race that swung back and forth all season long.
Burt scribed: “Manchester City are the Premier League champions. But that statement does not go anywhere near conveying this epic title race although it did feel so right that the goal that sealed it, the third one, the one that cleared the City bench in celebration, with Pep Guardiola punching the air, was a beauty.
“But then City’s contest with Liverpool has been a thing of beauty all season and even on this final day there was a final twist. For 21 minutes Liverpool were champions, as they scored and Brighton took the lead here, but the new world order restored itself with goals by Sergio Aguero, Aymeric Laporte and that wonderful strike by Riyad Mahrez before Ilkay Gundogan’s almost equally as stunning free-kick.
“It meant City claimed a fourth title in eight seasons and, in so doing, became the first team to retain it since Manchester United in 2009 which means a lot to manager Pep Guardiola.
“They also became the first team to end a top-flight season with 14 consecutive victories, breaking Arsenal’s record from 2002.
“It has been that stunning and it has taken such a stunning effort to beat Liverpool by just a point. Between them the two fine sides have 195 points, the first time two teams have passed 90 points in a season, with City finishing on top with 98. Incredible.”
The superlatives continue apace in the Manchester Evening News for whom chief Manchester City correspondent Stuart Brennan opines that this was the ‘greatest league campaign in English football history.’
And for Brennan, the dramatic manner of City's 2018/19 title success eclipsed even our historic Centurions campaign of last season.
Brennan reports: “First they were Centurions … but now Manchester City should be hailed for the greatest league campaign in English football history.
“The Blues made it back-to-back titles in slightly nervy fashion as Sergio Aguero and Aymeric Laporte and brilliant strikes from Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan brought them back from the brink at Brighton to win 4-1.
“The points total of 98 was two shy of last season’s record haul, but the way in which City have won this, stringing together 14 straight wins to gradually rein in the Scousers and then holding their nerve as the two teams exchanged three-point blow for three-point blow, sets it apart.
“To beat a team that lost just once in the entire season is incredible – a show of guts and nerve as well as an exhibition of the supreme quality of Pep Guardiola’s team.
“To win it against a team that clocked up 97 points- the third highest total in the league’s history – and which only lost one game in the entire campaign, is extraordinary.
“The Centurions season was incredible, but this achievement is even better.”
In the Guardian, meanwhile, Dominic Fifield hailed Guardiola’s side's strength of nerve following our 2-1 loss at Newcastle in late January.
And he believed the response to that setback was truly the stuff of champions.
Fifield penned: “City know they have been challenged this year, stretched wonderfully by Liverpool’s startling progress.
“The mind-boggling tally of points collected by Jürgen Klopp’s side would have been enough to claim the championship in all but three of the previous 119 campaigns based on three points for a win, and yet it was still not enough to overhaul Pep Guardiola’s team.
“They have won 198 points across two seasons, a staggering haul. Their 95th top-flight goal of the campaign, a free-kick whipped sumptuously into the top corner by Ilkay Gündogan, summed it all up. Mat Ryan sprang to his left but could not lay a glove on it. Opponents have been trying and failing to do that with City all season.
“Not for a decade has a side retained this title, but the form mustered in the run-in – 14 successive wins stretching back to a defeat at Newcastle in late January – represented a blistering response to the challenge on their authority being mustered from Anfield.”
posted on 13/5/19
I have a question: where was Mendy during the presentation?
posted on 13/5/19
Off having treatment. Was mentioned on sky presentation.
posted on 13/5/19
Thanks Lee
posted on 13/5/19
comment by mancWoohoo💯 - Maximus Mardius Cob-onius (U10676)
posted 6 hours, 29 minutes ago
I have a question: where was Mendy during the presentation?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I also found it weird but when I look back it was a good thing he wasnt there. Too many things come easy for some city players where you have other team mates who do everything. John Stones is another that comes to mind. Coasts along as did walker at the start of the season.
Some players need to suffer, no more than Medy who must earn his right to play and feel like he has actually contributed. He is a fantastic player but as pogba has shown, if the concentration is slightly off you can struggle.
posted on 13/5/19
Congratulations on winning the PL
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