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MAN CITY NOT STRONG ENOUGH AT THE MOMENT – GUNDOGAN

Ilkay Gundogan admits Manchester City are “not strong enough right now” and cannot find the switch to turn their season around.

City’s torrid spell continued as they suffered a damaging 2-0 loss at Juventus on Wednesday that left them in danger of failing to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

It was their seventh defeat in 10 games in all competitions – a dramatic and uncharacteristic loss of form for a side that have swept all before them in recent seasons.

Midfield veteran Gundogan said: “It just feels like we are not strong enough right now and we have to work on that. The situation is not easy.

“It’s about trying to find the switch to turn things around. We have to do the simple things.

“If we don’t find that click, it’s going to be tough. Every single player has to push themselves individually to be better.

“Individually and collectively – everyone now has to question themselves and try to figure out what to change and what to do to contribute to the team in the best possible way.”

City’s slump has seen them fall well off the pace in their quest to win an unprecedented fifth successive Premier League title.

They trail leaders Liverpool by eight points having played a game more and face a further test of their resolve as they host derby rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

“I feel we are not playing that bad, but something is missing,” said 2023 treble-winning captain Gundogan, who rejoined the club in the summer after a year at Barcelona.

“It’s not the time to give away the whole season because there are so many games still to play, which is an opportunity on one side, but we have to turn things around quite quickly.”
City had plenty of possession against Juve but lacked creativity against a side set up to soak up pressure.

Kevin De Bruyne did create a gilt-edged chance for Erling Haaland before the break but he was thwarted by a fine save by goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.

Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie then struck in the second half to leave City languishing in 22nd place in the league standings and facing a crucial trip to another struggling giant, Paris St Germain, next month.

City defender Ruben Dias said: “Essentially we were not good enough. Our biggest problem will always be ourselves not being at the best level.

“Juventus are a very strong side but the main focus is on ourselves – we have to be better.

“A moment like this for us at this club doesn’t come very often. Obviously difficult periods always come but we have to look forward, be positive and try and be better every day. That’s the only way to get through it.”

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THE ‘MISPEPING’ OF CITY AND JURGEN KLOPP’S FOOTPRINT IN LIVERPOOL’S PERFORMANCES.

This short piece is, in my opinion, not necessarily backed up by Opta or one football statistic authority. I’ll urge you to read with a neutral mind.

Pep Guardiola is undoubtedly one of the greatest Managers of the last two decades. But why has he lost five games in a row, making an unpopular record for himself?

Bar injuries of Rodri, Stones and Ruben Dias, Pep used to execute games with Akanji, Ake and/or Stones. In the midfield too, Gundogan has been playing alongside Rico Lewis. The latter is a young lad who has proven to be worth the hype in the last few seasons. While these two may not be the favourite midfield combination for City, they have worked very well for them in the past. So, what changed?

In my opinion, most of the City players who are pivotal to their yester victories are now older and getting close to the point of diminishing. Don’t get me wrong, they are not diminishing yet, but they are getting close to that point. Using a set of players to win multiple trophies for four years or more will come with consequences. What would make the difference is a succession plan. And this is why Klopp is in this story.

Liverpool Coach, Arne Slot.

Yes! It takes a good Manager to pick up quality players and deploy them well to win games and stay competitive. But Klopp’s succession plan for Liverpool was the beginning of the success of whoever succeeds him as Liverpool Boss.

The idea of letting Liverpool’s top midfielders go, all at the same time seemed horrendous to some Liverpool fans, but it was a necessary step at rebuilding the Liverpool team. Jordan Henderson, Fabinho Tavares, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain were all released at the same time, paving the way for the arrivals of Dominic Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo. It is on this new foundation that Arne Slot is now continuing the competitiveness of the Liverpool team across competitions.

Klopp did the same with the Liverpool attack. We all enjoyed the fluidity and effectiveness of the trio of Salah, Mane and Firmino but Klopp understands we cannot have that forever, hence, the introduction of Jota, Nunez, Diaz and then Gakpo. Recall that Mane and Firmino (Firmino especially) were still at Mersey side when most of these players arrived. This points to an excellent succession plan.

But is Pep not doing this too?

Since the run of defeats, many have criticised Guardiola for not replacing Alvarez, as if Erling Haaland is no longer the goal machine of the blue half of Manchester. What they forget is Jeremy Doku and the newly added Savinho and James Mc Atee. Manchester City has midfield options too. Aside from Mateo Kovacic who just recently got injured, there is Matheus Nunes and Oscar Bobb. Having all these options, most of whom were integrated into the team before this season, and losing five games in a row, gives a suspicious smell beyond the lack of Rodri and Ruben Dias.

But Liverpool should be worried too. Ryan Gravenberch has proven to be one of the key players driving the team’s success this season. Leading the English and Champions League table with the best Goal difference has a lot to do with how the midfield is anchored. Should Gravy get injured sometimes during this season, can Liverpool remain as good as they are now using alternative combinations from the mix of Endo, Mac Allister, Jones and Szobo? Food for thought.

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BRIGHTON FIGHT BACK TO STUN MAN CITY AS CHAMPIONS SUFFER FOURTH SUCCESSIVE LOSS.

Brighton staged a sensational late fightback to come from behind and send Manchester City to a fourth consecutive defeat with a pulsating 2-1 win at the Amex Stadium.

Substitute Matt O’Riley appeared in the area in the 83rd minute to tuck away Joao Pedro’s pass for his first Brighton goal to stun the Premier League champions, minutes after Pedro had himself equalised following a penalty box scramble.

Erling Haaland’s goal after 23 minutes had looked like City’s winner for much of the game, the Norway striker finishing off following a sublimely calibrated pass from Mateo Kovacic.
Yet this was a display of supreme courage on the home side, Fabian Hurzeler’s players refusing to let go lightly of a chance to leap into the top four.
They deservedly levelled when half the City team descended on Danny Welbeck as he received the ball in the box. In the panic, no one spotted Pedro, who leapt onto the scene to finish.

And it fell to Pedro to provide the ball for O’Riley, appearing for only the second time since moving from Celtic after injury wrecked his early months at Brighton, who capped a famous night on the south coast with the coolest finish amid scintillating drama.

City had already lost three in a row for the first time since April 2018 and their injury problems had not abated. Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake, run ragged when only half-fit in the defeat against Bournemouth, made only the bench, so 19-year-old Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was handed his first league start in central defence.

Yet a fourth consecutive loss awaited Pep Guardiola for the first time in his managerial career, though the early signs had been that City’s blip was righted.

Kovacic, the visitors’ best player in the first half, drove upfield and slipped the ball to Savinho who was thwarted by Bart Verbruggen as he aimed for the corner.

The opening goal though was not long in arriving. Yasin Ayari gave the ball away near halfway to Kovacic and City’s midfield powerhouse cruised forward again. His ball to find Haaland was perfectly pitched, the striker’s run meticulously routed in between Igor Julio and Jan Paul van Hecke, and though Verbruggen blocked the initial shot, Haaland won the foot race with Van Hecke to crash the ball in off the crossbar from a yard out

Haaland saw his near-post drive turned against the post by Verbruggen then moments later glanced a header over from a corner, as City threatened a second.

Brighton had weathered a storm and they turned up the pressure on City before the break.
There might have been a penalty when Josko Gvardiol went to the ground and blocked Welbeck’s effort seemingly with an arm, the chance coming after Kyle Walker had misjudged the flight of the ball, but play continued.

The second half would see Brighton throw everything at the champions in search of a route back. Jack Hinshelwood headed straight at Ederson from Pervis Estupinan’s deep cross, then Kaoru Mitoma turned Walker in the corner with impudent trickery and teed up Estupinan, whose delivery was again spot on though Georginio Rutter was not so concentrated with his wayward header.

Ederson had to race from his goal to smother at the feet of Mitoma, and then Pedro drew agonised cries around the Amex when he followed up a featherlight touch to bring the ball down with an awful shot dragged wide with the goalkeeper to beat.

It looked like City would hold out, but Pedro and O’Riley had other ideas.

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MANCHESTER CITY GETS 4-1 THRASHING BY SPORTING IN RUBEN AMORIM’S HOME FAREWELL

Ruben Amorim endeared himself to Manchester United fans before even arriving at Old Trafford by engineering a stunning 4-1 defeat of Manchester City with Sporting Lisbon.

The Portuguese was taking charge of his final home match as Sporting boss before officially starting work as United’s head coach and watched as his side came from behind to thrash City in the Champions League.

City took an early lead through Phil Foden but Sporting hit back with a hat-trick that included two penalties from Viktor Gyokeres – who has been tipped to follow Amorim to United – and a strike by Maximiliano Araujo.

It was the first time City – for whom Erling Haaland missed a penalty – have lost three games in succession since 2018, excluding a later sequence in 2021 that included the Community Shield.

The evening began with Sporting in a celebratory mood as they showed their appreciation for Amorim for a four-year spell in which he delivered two domestic titles.

They were celebrating again by the end, but only after overcoming a poor start in which City could have put the result beyond doubt themselves.

City won 5-0 on their last visit to the Jose Alvalade Stadium and may have fancied a repeat as they opened the scoring within four minutes.

Hidemasa Morita was robbed by Foden and punished as the England international fired through a poor attempt at a save by Franco Israel.

It was Foden’s eighth goal in his last nine Champions League starts, and he nipped in to seize possession again soon after, but this time the attack ended when Haaland sliced wide.

Israel almost had another moment to forget when he dallied in possession, but he cleared in the nick of time from under Haaland’s feet.

Despite City’s dominance, they were vulnerable to the counter-attack.

They had a lucky escape after Rico Lewis gave the ball away and Gyokeres raced away from inside his own half only to shoot tamely at Ederson.

It was a poor miss but the former Coventry striker was in the right place to hook clear off his own line from a Haaland header.

Haaland was also denied by a fine save from Israel when he met a Foden cross with a fierce volley and Bernardo Silva shot wide.

City were made to rue their profligacy as Sporting snatched an equaliser before the break.

Again they were caught by a quick break as Geovany Quenda released Gyokeres and this time the Swede made no mistake as he outpaced teenager Jamhai Simpson-Pusey to score.

It sparked a remarkable turnaround, with Francisco Trincao shooting over just before the break and Sporting grabbing the lead within 20 seconds of the second half starting.

The hosts went straight upfield and Araujo finished emphatically after timing his run onto Pedro Goncalves’ neat through-ball to perfection.

Things immediately got worse for City as they conceded a penalty within a minute of the next restart when Josko Gvardiol bundled Trincao over in the box. Gyokeres thumped home the spot-kick.

City were offered a route back into the game when they were awarded a controversial penalty of their own by VAR after a Silva shot struck Ousmane Diomande’s arm. Haaland failed to capitalise as he smashed the ball against the crossbar.

The third penalty of the game was awarded 10 minutes from time when substitute Geny Catamo was knocked over by Matheus Nunes.

Gyokeres again finished emphatically and Amorim, who will face City again in a Manchester derby next month, could wave farewell to the home fans in good heart.

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MOURINHO SEEKS WINNER’S MEDAL AND BONUS IF MAN CITY ARE STRIPPED OF TITLES

Jose Mourinho cheekily said he is looking to add a fourth Premier League medal to his glittering cabinet if Manchester City are stripped of their titles and rivals Manchester United are awarded the Premier League trophy for the 2017-18 season.

Mourinho, who won three titles with Chelsea, guided United to a second-place finish behind City in that campaign, 19 points behind Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking side.

City, who have won the English title a record four times in succession, were referred to an independent commission in February 2023, with the various charges dating from 2009 to 2018. They have always denied any wrongdoing.

Should City be found guilty of some or all of the charges, they could face penalties or huge fines, points deductions, being stripped of their titles or even be demoted from the top flight.

“We won the Europa League and finished second in the Premier League. I think we still have a chance to win that league,” Fenerbahce boss Mourinho told reporters ahead of their Europa League clash against United.

“Maybe they punish Manchester City with points (deductions) and maybe we win that league. They have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”

Mourinho was the first manager since Alex Ferguson’s last season in 2012-13 to bring United the closest to winning the league title again but he was sacked in December 2018 after a poor run of form.

Ferguson is United’s most successful manager and although he is set to step down as a global ambassador after the club’s part-owners Ineos ended his multi-million pound contract, Mourinho said the 82-year-old did not need the position or the money.

“The ambassadorial role… I don’t know in depth the situation. It doesn’t matter why, what (happened). Sir Alex has the most important thing, which is the love and respect of every Man United fan around the world,” Mourinho said.

“That is more important than an ambassadorial role, it is more important than a few pounds that he can make that he doesn’t need.”

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BENJAMIN MENDY GOT LOANS FROM TEAMMATES AFTER MAN CITY STOPPED PAYING HIS WAGES

Former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy was lent money by teammates when the club stopped paying him after he was charged with rape and sexual assault, an employment tribunal has heard.

Current and former players Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez supported the French international, who now claims to be owed £11.5 million in unpaid wages by the Premier League champions.

The 30-year-old’s £500,000 per month wage was withheld by the club after he was charged in 2021, the tribunal was told.

The World Cup winner was subsequently cleared.

Mr Mendy, who now plays for French Ligue 2 club Lorient, brought employment tribunal proceedings against Manchester City, claiming for “unauthorised deductions” from wages.

His contract showed he would also receive a £900,000 bonus for appearing in 60% of matches, a £1 million bonus if City qualified for the Champions League, and an annual £1.2m payment to his image rights company.

Court documents shared with the Manchester employment tribunal said Mr Mendy “very quickly ran out of money” and had to sell his Cheshire mansion to cover legal fees, bills and child support payments after his wages were withheld.

“I struggled to pay my child support, I felt awful,” the footballer said in a witness statement.

Mr Mendy said his agent, Meissa N’diaye, paid towards his legal fees, while teammates including England international Sterling offered “financial support”.

“Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez all lent me money to help me try and pay my legal fees and support my family,” he said in his witness statement.

The left-back described his 2021 charging as the day “my life was turned upside down forever.”

The tribunal heard he enjoyed partying, and was held in custody between August 2021 and January 2022, and again between December 2022 and January 2023 after he breached his bail conditions by hosting and attending multiple parties.

A January 2021 party at his multi-million pound home lasted until 4am, despite him having a match the following day, the tribunal was told.

Mr Mendy, appearing via videolink, told the tribunal he and his agent Mr N’diaye had been assured by Man City’s then chief football operating officer Omar Berrada that he would receive his unpaid wages once he had been cleared of the charges.

The footballer sent Mr Berrada a WhatsApp message in November 2022, asking if he could confirm in writing that the wages would be paid, the tribunal heard.

But Mr Berrada did not reply to the message and denied ever having made such an assurance.

After his acquittal, Mr Mendy sent an email to Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the Emirati chief executive of Manchester City, but again received no response.

The club continued paying Mr Mendy following his first arrest in November 2020 but has argued it did not have to carry on doing so later because his bail conditions and Football Association suspension meant he was not able to perform his duties as a player.

Mr Mendy’s witness statement continued: “I would have thought that Manchester City, of all clubs, would appreciate the lack of control and anger that a person or entity has with being charged with false allegations given the Premier League allegations that they are facing.

“At no point have Manchester City apologised to me or even acknowledged how their actions almost cost me everything.

“I believe that it is fair and just for me to be paid the wages that I would have earned but for being falsely arrested for crimes that I did not commit.”

Mr Mendy was found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in January 2023, but the same jury could not reach a verdict on another count of rape and one count of attempted rape.

It saw a retrial and Mendy was found not guilty of one charge of rape and one charge of attempted rape.

In April, a High Court tax debt case against Mr Mendy was dismissed after he paid a £700,000 bill.

The employment tribunal is expected to last for two days.

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RIYAD MAHREZ DOUBLE HELPS MAN CITY BRUSH ASIDE CHELSEA IN ONE-SIDED FA CUP CLASH

Riyad Mahrez struck twice as Manchester City eased to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup third round.

Three of the champions’ goals in a one-sided encounter at the Etihad Stadium came in a 15-minute spell late in the first half as Mahrez, Julian Alvarez – from the penalty spot – and Phil Foden all found the target.

Mahrez added a fourth with City’s second penalty of the afternoon five minutes from time.

It was City’s second win over the out-of-form Londoners in the space of four days and piled on the frustration for their manager Graham Potter.

After a run of just one win in seven in all competitions, Chelsea supporters booed their side and were also heard chanting the names of former owner Roman Abramovich and ex-manager Thomas Tuchel.

City have no such concerns and, as well as looking to reel Arsenal in at the top of the Premier League, could now be hosting them in the fourth round – if the Gunners can see off Oxford on Monday.

City, who rested Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, effectively had the game wrapped up by half-time.

The sides made 13 changes between them from the teams that played each other on Thursday but it was soon apparent City boasted greater strength in depth.

Chances were scarce as the game began at a slow tempo but City comfortably established control.

Mahrez first threatened when he beat Lewis Hall on the right but Kepa Arrizabalaga claimed his cross.

Cole Palmer wasted a golden opportunity after 13 minutes when he latched onto a long ball from Aymeric Laporte and shot into the side-netting instead of squaring for Alvarez.

Mahrez made no mistake, however, after he was fouled just outside the area by Hall. He got up to curl a superb free-kick into the top corner, albeit via a slight deflection off the wall, to put City ahead after 23 minutes.

Things got worse for Chelsea on the half-hour when Kai Havertz inexplicably charged and punched the ball away defending a corner. The offence was initially missed by referee Robert Jones but there was no escape for Havertz following a VAR review.

Alvarez fired the resulting penalty past Kepa despite the keeper getting a hand to his shot and having done his best to put the World Cup winner off with some words as he placed the ball on the spot.

Alvarez went close to another soon after but Kalidou Koulibaly just did enough to take the sting out of his effort.

Foden made it 3-0 when he rounded off a fine team move seven minutes before the interval.

The ball was spread from the right to the left and then back to the right, where Mahrez controlled brilliantly and casually fed the onrushing Kyle Walker to cutback for Foden to tuck home.

City went close again on the stroke of half-time when Alvarez was inches away from connecting with a Mahrez cross.

Such were Chelsea’s struggles, they did not even register a shot until a Mason Mount effort was deflected wide in the 55th minute.

City eased off but Mahrez curled an effort narrowly wide in the 73rd minute. He then did even better from the spot late on after Koulibaly bundled over Foden.

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MANCHESTER CITY TO MAKE MORE SIGNINGS

Manchester City are planning to make more signings this summer, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has revealed.

The Premier League champions have already secured a deal for the much-coveted Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and their attack will be further boosted by the arrival of Argentina international Julian Alvarez.

Yet that is unlikely to be the end of the transfer activity ahead of next season with manager Pep Guardiola also looking for additions in other areas.

Speaking in his annual end-of-season interview with the club’s website, Khaldoon said: “I can confirm that there will be more players coming in.

“We are looking to strengthen the team in the areas that we need strengthening, and every season some players leave and we have to continually refresh the team.

“I think we’ve made two very important additions already but I anticipate we will be doing a couple more.”

Of the business done so far, Khaldoon is convinced City have pulled off a coup in securing the services of Haaland.

The prolific 21-year-old will move to the Etihad Stadium for £51million after City saw off interest from other clubs.

Khaldoon said: “We have, in Haaland, arguably the best number nine in the world at the right age.

“When you look at the next 10-15 years we have invested, in Haaland, in that striker for the future.

“He is a very, very unique, incredibly talented striker that I think the whole world has been looking at. I would say every big team in the world wanted Haaland to join and we are absolutely delighted Haaland chose to join Manchester City.

“For us, it’s a super decision. We are getting, truly, a phenomenal player. He will fit very nicely with the group.”

Next season will be Guardiola’s seventh at City and the last of his current contract.

There has been speculation about the inspirational Spaniard’s future but, after negotiating extensions with him in his final year twice previously, Khaldoon does not see it as a matter of concern.

He said: “It is a partnership that has done wonders over the years. It is approaching its seventh year and next year is going to be an exciting chapter of this partnership, and we’re enjoying every moment of it.

“We’re achieving great things together and this conversation will be had at the right time, at the right pace, and with the pace, time and framework that works for Pep.”

Khaldoon added that Guardiola is not under any additional pressure to win the Champions League, which is the one major trophy that has eluded him at City.

He said: “You don’t need to put any extra pressure on Pep, he puts enough pressure on himself. It is the exact opposite – I try to bring back the pressure because I think he puts too much pressure on himself.

“The pressure is not of winning this competition or that competition. We approach every season to win and to try to win every competition we compete in.”

City secured their fourth Premier League title in five seasons this month but “within hours” thoughts turned to next term.

“Our mindset, while celebratory, immediately flips to the future and how to keep strengthening,” Khaldoon said.

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WIN NOT ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN LIVERPOOL’S QUEST FOR A QUADRUPLE

Liverpool’s hopes of a dramatic last-day Premier League title win were dashed by Manchester City’s remarkable second-half comeback, with the 3-1 home win over Wolves not enough to maintain their quest for an unprecedented quadruple.

For a long period, with their rivals losing at home to Aston Villa, belief coursed around the ground but the dream was extinguished in the space of six minutes in which Pep Guardiola’s men turned things around.

It meant the Reds finished second by a point, with a 92-point tally which would have been good enough to win the title in 25 of the previous 30 seasons.

The last time a team failed to win the top-flight title after leading the table on the final day was Liverpool themselves in 1989 when they lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal.

But this time their destiny was out of their hands as it needed Villa, managed by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, to pull off the unexpected and get something at the Etihad Stadium.

For 75 minutes it looked like they might just do that and with Sadio Mane’s 11th league goal at Anfield cancelling out Pedro Neto’s surprise opener there was a feeling that something special was happening.

But by the time Mohamed Salah had put his side 2-1 up with his 23rd league goal – to share the Golden Boot with Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, City were ahead.

That required something special from Villa late on but the next goal came at Anfield where Andy Robertson stabbed home in the 89th minute.

The match began and ended in a feeling of deflation but the consolation for Liverpool and their fans is they have a Champions League final against Real Madrid on Saturday to complete a cup treble.

Neto’s goal was most definitely not in the script but highlighted chinks in Liverpool’s defence which had seen them concede the first goal in five of their last six matches.

What was more annoying from the hosts’ point of view was the simplicity of the goal: Ibrahima Konate misjudged a Jose Sa kick and Raul Jimenez raced clear to square for Neto to become only the third opposition player to score a league goal at Anfield in 2022.

What was uncharacteristic, however, was Liverpool’s lack of sharpness up front.

Luis Diaz took the ball too close to Sa having been played in by Joel Matip, with the Colombia international’s next attack seeing his cross fly through the six-yard box with no team-mate close.

With so much at stake it could have been a nervy, cagey affair but it had the feel of a cup tie with both sides having chances as Leander Dendoncker fired from a breakaway before Neto was forced off injured.

A moment of genius lifted the rood off Anfield in the 24th minute when Thiago Alcantara, the dominant player in possession, produced a brilliant back-heeled pass for Mane to run through and score for the fourth successive final day, the first Liverpool player to do since since Ronald Orr in 1911.

Just before half-time came news of Villa’s goal at City and the ground went giddy with delight but on the pitch captain Jordan Henderson could be seen telling his team-mates to calm things down.

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker was the coolest of them all in saving substitute Hwang Hee-Chan’s near-post shot but the loss of Thiago to injury just before half-time was a significant blow.

However, other players started to energise and Mane – and the majority of Anfield – thought he had scored with a cheeky dink over Sa early in the second half only for a late offside flag to dampen the celebrations.

Salah, introduced in the 58th minute having recovered from a minor groin problem after last week’s FA Cup final victory, lobbed over with the outside of his left-foot from a tight angle as Liverpool kept probing.

The Egypt international then delayed his shot having capitalised on Willy Boly’s slip and the defender produced a brilliant recovery to dispossess the forward.

Moments later another roar went around the ground as former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho doubled Villa’s lead at City, with Jurgen Klopp putting a fourth forward on the pitch when he replaced Naby Keita with Roberto Firmino.

The tension was starting to become unbearable as Alisson tipped over a Hwang shot to provide a reminder there could be no gung-ho approach – and then City scored. Three times in six minutes.

Every goal from the Etihad was cheered by the visiting supporters, revelling in their misfortune of their Midlands rivals, who chanted “You nearly won the league” as the mood switched from frustration to deflation.

There was a brief respite when Salah forced home from close range after Matip’s header was cleared off the line.

With five minutes to go it appeared the rumour mill, fired by wishful thinking, went into overdrive as for a brief moment there was an outpouring of ecstasy for no apparent reason.

Fans were waiting on a goal from elsewhere so Robertson’s strike in the 89th minute goal produced only muted celebrations.

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MANCHESTER CITY STAGE REMARKABLE COMEBACK TO CLINCH PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE

Manchester City staged a sensational comeback from 2-0 down to retain the Premier League title with a dramatic 3-2 win over Aston Villa.

Needing to win to be assured of holding off Liverpool, City were in danger of blowing it as Matty Cash and former Reds star Philippe Coutinho struck at the Etihad Stadium.

Yet Pep Guardiola’s side showed all their champion quality to rally with Ilkay Gundogan coming off the bench to score twice either side of a superb Rodri strike in a remarkable five-minute spell.

City had known that second-placed Liverpool, trailing by just a point, could overtake them with victory over Wolves and there were times in the afternoon when they lived on their nerves.

When they trailed by two, Liverpool were being held 1-1 and news of another goal at Anfield at that stage, could have been a hammer blow.

Yet in remarkable final-day drama, City cast off the shackles of a dismal first-half display to turn the game around and render Liverpool’s eventual win academic.

There were few signs of nerves, or the tension to follow, as the game kicked off amid a joyous and raucous atmosphere.

City supporters had given their team a rousing welcome outside the stadium and there was a feeling celebrations were almost getting under way as news filtered through of an early Wolves goal.

City were boosted by the return of John Stones from injury but, with Kyle Walker fit enough only for the bench, he lined up at right-back.

Fernandinho, making his final City appearance, continued in his role as a makeshift centre-back alongside Aymeric Laporte with Joao Cancelo on the left.

It made for an uncomfortable-looking back four, and so it proved, but it was City who made most of the early running.

Cancelo had a couple of efforts blocked after good runs and Gabriel Jesus almost embarrassed debutant Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen when he charged down a clearance. Phil Foden also rolled a shot narrowly wide after a Kevin De Bruyne counter-attack.

Villa, who were warned about time-wasting early on by referee Michael Oliver, grew into the game and took a shock lead eight minutes before the interval.

Lucas Digne, the former Everton full-back, broke clear down the left and clipped in a fine cross from the byline. Cash, running in from the opposite side, met it with a firm header that Ederson could not keep out.

With Liverpool having now equalised against Wolves, the mood was transformed. City were stunned and suddenly looked vulnerable.

Fernandinho looked particularly shaky as Watkins twice threatened, first having a shot blocked and then being denied by a back-tracking Stones.

The interval came at a good time for City and it was no surprise that Fernandinho did not return for the second half. Oleksandr Zinchenko took his place and the back line was reshaped.

City upped the tempo and Jesus should have equalised when picked out at the back post by Cancelo but volleyed over.

Yet Villa were in stubborn mood and repelled wave after wave of further attacks with captain Tyrone Mings standing tall.

De Bruyne went close with a dipping free-kick but City were caught out by a long clearance upfield by Olsen, which Watkins headed on to Coutinho.

The Brazilian’s first touch was exquisite and completely wrong-footed Laporte, exposing Ederson at the near post. The goal still took some finishing but Coutinho kept his cool and found the bottom corner.

Villa manager Steven Gerrard was more than doing his job for former club Liverpool and this was now a serious test of City’s mettle, but they rallied.

De Bruyne first blasted over before substitutes Raheem Sterling and Gundogan combined to pull one back on 76 minutes. The German had a free header at the back post after being picked out by Sterling and made no mistake.

With their tails now up, City pressed again and moments later levelled as Zinchenko picked out Rodri on the edge of the area and the Spaniard stroked the ball into the bottom corner.

There was more to come with Gundogan again in the right place at the back post as De Bruyne whipped in a good ball.

The comeback was complete and, even though an equaliser from Villa could have changed the picture again, it never looked like happening as City celebrated another league crown.