Manchester City defy rivals Liverpool to win Premier League for second time in a row
Written by News on 12/05/2019
Manchester City have been crowned Premier League champions – again – after overwhelming Brighton in a 4-1 win.
Their victory makes them the first team to retain the trophy in a decade.
It comes despite their nearest rivals Liverpool, who finished one point behind the champions, winning in their final Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
It was an anxious start to the afternoon for Sky Blues fans as Liverpool’s Sadio Mane put the Reds ahead 17 minutes into their match. Ten minutes later Brighton’s Glen Murray put the ball in the back of Manchester City’s net.
But there was an instant response from Guardiola’s team with a quickfire brace of goals. Sergio Aguero nutmegged the Brighton keeper from close range then City doubled their tally 38 minutes into the game as Aymeric Laporte headed in from a corner.
City put one hand on the trophy 63 minutes in, after Riyad Mahrez shot from range, hammering the ball into the top-right corner of the goal.
Ilkay Gundogan added to what was turning into goal rout 72 minutes in with a freekick from distance.
Liverpool forward Sane added to his team’s lead 80 mins in, making the final score 2-0, but it meant little with the game out of Brighton’s reach.
Liverpool had gone into the game on the back of a sensational Champions League comeback against Barcelona.
With Manchester City on 95 points and Liverpool on 94 going into the final game, the Reds’ potential 97-point tally would have been enough to win the title in every other season except last year’s, when City collected an eye-popping 100.
However, the season is not over for Liverpool as they set their sights on their sixth Champions League title.
The dramatic conclusion to the Premier League caps off a momentous week for English football as Tottenham Hotspur secured a spot in an all-English Champions League final with Liverpool, and Arsenal and Chelsea secured their places in the final of the Europa League.
Many had billed Sunday’s fixtures as two of the best football managers in the world going head-to-head in what pundits had been calling the best quality Premier League title race ever.
Their teams have been so good they are both more than 20 points ahead of third-placed Chelsea.
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(c) Sky News 2019: Manchester City defy rivals Liverpool to win Premier League for second time in a row
