Manchester City proves they’re too good to let the title slip from their grasp by outclassing United in the mid-week clash. With just 3 games left to play with the bottom half teams it’s highly unlikely the Citizens will let this title go astray.
Read : Will 96 points be enough for Man City in title race?
Manchester City have played 27 games in 2019 and walked off the pitch as winners with 25 of them. They have not fallen behind in a Premier League fixture since the end of January and they are on course to end the season with 98 points.
Yet, most of the talk in this title race has centred on the unbreakable spirit of Liverpool.
City, perhaps because they set the bar so high last season by amassing 100 points, have found themselves slipping under the radar due to the drama and romance of Liverpool’s bid to win their first championship since 1990.
Liverpool have grabbed the sporting world’s attention with their last-gasp wins and majestic goals from the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, while City have, more prosaically, been relentlessly taking care of business.
Nonetheless, after reclaiming the top spot and taking a firm grip of their destiny with a 2-0 win at Manchester United on Wednesday, a victory that ensures they will retain the title by winning their three remaining games against Burnley, Leicester and Brighton. It is perhaps time to celebrate the incredible quality of Pep Guardiola’s team.
Guardiola’s team deserve due credit for their ability to keep pace with Jurgen Klopp’s side, having been seven points behind on New Year’s Day, to move ahead of them with the win at Old Trafford. They have become a machine. During the 11-game winning run in the league that has kept City on Liverpool’s heels, City has conceded just three goals and scored 26.
In goal, Ederson gives his defenders immense confidence by coming for every aerial ball in the penalty area, and usually catching it. Aymeric Laporte, most City watchers will tell you, has been majestic at center-half. Fernandinho remains crucial in midfield, with the 33-year-old providing the grit that enables the likes of David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne to make their contributions in the attacking third. And Sergio Aguero has once again delivered goals up front, especially in the bigger games when it matters most.
City has coasted through most of their 11-game streak, which included a 6-0 rout of Chelsea, and has been given the impression that they have been holding something back. It was the same against United, where they could have emerged with a much bigger winning margin than that given by goals from Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane.
But because they were so good last season, winning the title with a 19-point lead over their closest challengers, their involvement in a tight title race this time around lends itself to the suggestion that City has regressed. The reality is that they have stepped up another level in order to hold off a formidable rival.
“We increased the level for the Premier League last season with 100 points,” Guardiola said. “That’s the level.
“It’s incredible what our players have done. They have my massive respect for what they achieved this season. Manchester City has to be so proud of these players.”
The title isn’t in the bag just yet, but they can start to put the blue ribbons on the trophy. This City team is simply too good, too clinical, too ruthless to make a mess of anything now.
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