So, the Premier League title race ended with more excitement than expected. Ultimately, as expected, though, both league leaders, Manchester City and Liverpool, won their final league games of the season. However, it didn’t go to plan for either until late in the respective games, with the Citizens lifting the Premier League trophy for the fourth time in five years.
A comeback to rival the ages
Nobody expected Aston Villa to go to the Etihad Stadium with nothing to play for and go two goals up. However, that was the situation on Sunday afternoon. As Philippe Coutinho scored a superb goal on 69 minutes, it looked like the title was heading for Liverpool.
City showed the character of champions, getting a goal back on 76 minutes before adding two more by 81 st minute, with substitute Ilkay Gundogan grabbing a brace. It was something to behold and enough to bring City head coach Pep Guardiola to tears at the end of the game.
Liverpool leaves it late too
Second-place Liverpool also found their Midlands visitors a problematic proposition, as Wolves came to Anfield and took the lead after just three minutes through a Pedro Neto goal. The Reds equalised through a 24th-minute strike from Sadio Mane.
At one stage, it looked as though Jurgen Klopp’s team were about to fail to win their last game of the top-flight campaign. However, Mohamed Salah scored their second on 84 minutes before Andy Robertson added a third with a minute remaining on the clock.
In the end, the victory mattered little, and Liverpool had to settle for a second-place finish. The two results meant that Manchester City had beaten the Merseyside by just a point to the tally.
The fact that the gap was so small in the end was a testament to Liverpool’s sheer relentlessness in 2022. They will now turn their attention to the Champions League final in Paris against Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid. It’s Liverpool’s chance to win a treble, at least, even if the quadruple has alluded them this season.
One of the best title races
Considering that Manchester City were 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League at one point earlier in the season, the title race turned out to be one of the best seen in recent years. The extra drama of the final matchday just added to the excitement.
These two teams are arguably two of the best that English football has ever seen. It is unfortunate for Liverpool and Klopp that City have been around during the last few seasons, as they maybe would have had more than their solitary league title. As it was, though, the Citizens held their nerve and lifted the trophy. The emotion on head coach Pep Guardiola’s face was hard to miss as the Catalan went straight down the tunnel at the end of the game.
Both teams have experienced great campaigns, and Liverpool’s is not over yet. However, all there is left to say is congratulations to Manchester City and who showed themselves to be worthy winners in the end.
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Can Manchester city continue their stranglehold on the Premier League title next season?
