Manchester City got back from 0-2 down to take the title
It would have been ironic if the Citizens had lost the title in the last round to a man with the surname Cash (“cash”). Even more so after a pass from former Everton player Deane. And the obvious symbolism in the meeting between Gerrard and Coutinho against rival Liverpool can not be emphasized separately, everyone noticed it. The coach and the attacking midfielder did everything for Manchester City to lose 0-2 in the second half. “Liverpool managed to concede in the third minute, level the score, waited for the replacement of the goalkeeper with the best reaction of the season in the APL – the Portuguese Sa, but hardly made it to the second goal.
At first, the game didn’t go well for either of the two favorites. But next, substitutions worked. A saved Salah came on and gave the Reds the lead. But by that time, Gundogan, Sterling and Zinchenko, who appeared from the bench, managed to organize three goals against Aston Villa. Birmingham fans sang about having the Champions Cup – trolling Guardiola – but two tense matches approached the end without a trophy break. Although the Reds’ chances for the title increased dramatically as the duels progressed, Manchester City’s class and pressure were enough.
From the summer they would have a wicked Kholand in someone else’s penalty box, and meanwhile Gundogan shut down Sterling’s cross, Zinchenko dropped the ball in front of Rodri’s cue ball, and then the same Ilkay was first to respond to De Bruyne’s pass and cross. And all that in five minutes! Although Liverpool increased their lead against Wolverhampton, Gundogan’s second goal saved the title for the Citizens. Defended their title. Guardiola might have been frightened after Coutinho’s goal, but his team showed the character they lack in the Champions League playoffs. “Liverpool should have played better in the previous rounds, and today is a celebration outside the blue moon.
Kevin De Bruyne is the best player of the season
The author of the league assist, by the way. Although you can argue about giving him the player of the season award, because there’s Son and Salah – two other worthy candidates. The two flank defenders, Alexander-Arnold and Cancelo, also looked great. Although Trent and Joao are inferior to their partners in stardom and public attention. Not so long ago, Sohn was constantly in Kane’s shadow, and in the new season, Harry was taking a break, saying goodbye to his dreams of a title with Manchester City, and the South Korean was coming to the fore. As a result, Son and Salah were the top scorers in the APL, scoring 23 goals each.
Guardiola has enough stars on the pitch, but in this championship it was the experienced 30-year-old De Bruyne who showed real championship soccer. Perhaps one day Kevin will regret not leaving for Real Madrid before more Champions League victories for the “creamy” side with Zidane, but for now he hopes to eventually add a cherished European victory to the English domestic titles in the future. And although even Guardiola said at the beginning of spring for the first time in many years that the Champions League was more important than the APL, it was the English trophy that he and Kevin got.
De Bruyne had a great three dozen games. Only dropped out because of an ankle injury and coronavirus. But the Belgian playmaker steadily supplied assists and added apt strikes in various matches. “Kevin scored four goals for Wolverhampton, who played against Liverpool today, less than two weeks ago. And against MU, the Citizens’ leader had two goals and an assist. He did not always produce such performances, but he is unrivaled in terms of chances created per ninety minutes on average. De Bruyne picked up 3.5 key passes per game, followed by the old Eriksen with 2.8. Even Trent and Bruno Fernandes couldn’t keep up with Kevin.
Manchester City have four titles in five years
Gerrard tried to give Liverpool a trophy. At least that’s how it is, because who hasn’t been the champion of England, even Arsenal’s Frenchman Pascal Sigan, who can’t be imagined in every RPL outsider. And Stephen has never won the APL, although he is a legend of the tournament. Everyone remembers the famous fall in the match against Chelsea, so Stephen took to the field today the most motivated Aston Villa. Even the loss of their starting goalkeeper – Emiliano Martinez was injured – did not stop the club from Birmingham from believing in a draw.
Of course, before the match, Gerrard’s team had no claim to more than that. But they could have won by two goals. The Citizens were in expected possession from the opening minutes, but they had no clear-cut chances. Just kidding, Manchester City converted 3 of 5 shots on goal, and Aston Villa responded with two goals after two attempts. “The Citizens” could have missed the title at the last minute in a ridiculous and frustrating way, but Gundogan had plans – a big party. Ilkay, like Bernardo, is the type of player who doesn’t get celebrated in the first place, but seasoned fans understand their value.
The champion team is not only the eleven most frequent members of the base, but also the coaching staff, club staff, managers, clerks, assistants in the stadium, to which Manchester City fans ran out after the dramatic denouement. The joy was sincere, as they had made it through 37 rounds with dignity, and in the last one they risked giving the title to Liverpool. If it had not been for Tottenham – who took two points from Klopp at the beginning of May – even a victory would not have been enough for Guardiola to win the 32nd title in his coaching career. With such a collection of trophies, it would be absurd to call the Spaniard a “physicalist”.
Liverpool’s only championship success came when the Spaniard was seventeen points behind Klopp. But this season, the Citizens have made no strategic blunders. Only three defeats, 29 wins at once – a magnificent result. They scored 93 points, scored ninety-nine goals, and conceded only twenty-six. “Aston Villa failed to score a champion third goal for Liverpool, but it is unlikely, given the course of the season, that the trophy in Klopp’s hands would have been fairer than the cup in Guardiola’s hands.
Manchester City will not allow the Reds to put together a quadruple. But now the Champions League final becomes even more interesting. To collect three trophies out of a possible four, Klopp needs to beat the always dangerous Ancelotti and his “plum” gang in such matches. And in the APL, the name of the champion has not changed – Guardiola won again, but the last step to the title turned out to be emotional, difficult and exhilarating. It’s the kind of denouements that English soccer is loved for!
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