10 key games that helped Manchester City seal the Premier League title
Man City’s thrashing of Man United in October offered a glimpse of their ruthlessness, they produced a masterclass to blow Arsenal away and showed their grittier side to hold off Fulham… 10 key games that helped Pep Guardiola’s men seal the title
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Manchester City sealed their third consecutive Premier League title and remain on course for an historic treble.
Arsenal’s loss away to Nottingham Forest on Saturday meant Pep Guardiola’s side can no longer be caught at the top of the table.
City followed that up in style with a 1-0 win over Chelsea at the Etihad after making nine changes from the midweek win over Real Madrid, with Julian Alvarez scoring the winner.
Guardiola’s side are now just the second team in the league’s history to win the title three times in a row, after Manchester United, who managed the feat between 1998-2001 and 2006-2009.
As their hunt for a historic treble continues, sportsmail’s JACK GAUGHAN looks back at 10 key games that helped City seal the title.
Manchester City sealed their third consecutive Premier League title in a memorable weekend
Pep Guardiola’s side are now just the second team to win the title three times in a row
August 7 West Ham 0-2 Man City
There were big questions about Erling Haaland after a Community Shield defeat by Liverpool but he got off to a flier, scoring twice at the London Stadium and laying down a marker.
August 27 Man City 4-2 Crystal Palace
City had dropped two points at Newcastle the weekend before and were 2-0 down at half-time. But they came roaring back after the break as Haaland finished with a hat-trick.
Erling Haaland silenced doubters on the opening day of the season with a brace at West Ham
Haaland scored a hat-trick alongside Phil Foden as City ran riot against Man United in October
October 2 Man City 6-3 Man United
Hat-tricks from Haaland and Phil Foden embarrassed Erik ten Hag’s United and offered a glimpse that City were capable of truly dismantling the best teams with their new striker.
November 5 Man City 2-1 Fulham
Joao Cancelo was sent off in the 26th minute yet City kept their composure and passed Fulham to death, winning it in stoppage time with a Haaland penalty. Pep Guardiola’s post-match address was described as ‘emotional’.
January 5 Chelsea 0-1 Man City
Guardiola’s radical tactical changes — Cancelo right wing, Rodri at centre half —did not work and he switched it up at the break as City ground out an important one-goal victory.
The striker cooly converted from the penalty spot deep into injury time against Fulham
Guardiola’s radical tactical changes away to Chelsea in January failed to work back in January
City still managed to win the match thanks to Riyad Mahrez’s goal shortly after the hour mark
February 5 Tottenham 1-0 Man City
One of the worst displays of the season and that led to an inquest by the players. Those clear-the-air talks clearly worked, because City have not lost a game in all competitions since.
February 15 Arsenal 1-3 Man City
City simply had to earn a result at the Emirates Stadium and dug in to achieve it. A dominant second-half display shocked Arsenal, with big performances by Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish.
City displayed one of their worst performances against Tottenham and it led to an inquest
Guardiola’s side travelled to league leaders Arsenal and came out with a 3-1 win in February
April 1 Man City 4-1 Liverpool
Mohamed Salah had given the visitors an early lead before they were blitzed by a City side now in imperious form. Without the injured Haaland, his understudy Julian Alvarez struck the equaliser at the Etihad.
April 26 Man City 4-1 Arsenal
A night when the title slipped away from the Gunners. City were just too good for them, De Bruyne producing a masterclass in a fiery atmosphere. Mikel Arteta looked bewildered on the touchline as his side had no answer to City’s slick play.
April 30 Fulham 1-2 Man City
There would be no point in winning against Arsenal if they had then surrendered at Fulham days later and City showed their grittier side to make sure they found a way of holding off Marco Silva’s spirited Cottagers.
Without the injured Haaland, City thrashed previous title rivals Liverpool at the start of April
The title slipped away from Arsenal as a Kevin De Bruyne masterclass guided City to victory
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