Manchester, (UK):- Manchester City were Sunday crowned 2023/24 Premier League champions after beating West Ham United 3-1 at Etihad Stadium to win a record fourth title in a row, their eighth since they first won it in 2012.
No side in the history of the English top flight had ever won four successive titles, but City have become accustomed to rewriting the record books under Pep Guardiola.
The Catalan coach has now masterminded six Premier League wins in the past seven seasons.
Phil Foden’s brilliant strike after just 79 seconds set City on their way in the Manchester sunshine before the England international swept home a second 16 minutes later.
Mohammed Kudus’ sensational overhead kick halved the deficit before the break to add some jeopardy before Rodri, who a year ago scored the goal in the Champions League final to complete the treble, settled any nerves with the third.
They now have the chance to complete a league and cup double when they take on Manchester United in the FA Cup final on May 25.
Striker Erling Haaland also retains the Golden Boot, awarded to the division’s top scorer after netting a league-leading 27 goals.
City had trailed Arsenal by as many as six points earlier in the season after a run of three draws and one defeat from November to the first week of December.
But City have gone unbeaten since taking 61 points from a possible 69 — including eight wins on the spin to close the season — to overhaul Arsenal and clinch the title.
‘We have put ourselves into the history books’
Two-goal hero Foden, still just 23, has now won six league titles. “It is so hard to put into words what we’ve done today,” he told Sky Sports. “No team has ever done it, we have put ourselves into the history books.
“You see what it means to the fans and to us players working all year for this moment. A special moment to share it with the fans.”
“I never get bored of it, you want this feeling every time,” he said on his personal title tally. “When you win something there is no better feeling. I want to keep winning as much as I can.”
It’s the second straight year Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have been pipped to the post after leading the league for the majority of the season.
The north London side were reliant on City dropping points on the final day to have any chance of winning a first title for 20 years.
A 2-1 win over Everton proved in vain and ensured they finished as runners-up, two points shy of City’s 91.
It represents City’s second-lowest title-winning total under Guardiola after the 86 points they amassed in 2020-21 when they beat Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United to top spot.
Guardiola’s sixth winner’s medal takes him closer to Sir Alex Ferguson’s record of 13 Premier League titles and three clear of Arsene Wenger and Mourinho (3).
The 53-year-old’s current contract — renewed in 2022 — expires at the end of next season and he is yet to sign an extension.
Race for Europe
In the race for European places, Tottenham Hotspur assured themselves of fifth place and a spot in the UEFA Europa League by beating Sheffield United 3-0.
Chelsea kept hold of sixth with a 2-1 home win over AFC Bournemouth, which is worth at least a spot in the UEFA Conference League next season, although it could bring qualification to the UEFA Europa League if Man City beat Man Utd in Saturday’s FA Cup final.
Such a result would mean that Newcastle, who won 4-2 at Brentford to finish seventh, would qualify for the Europa Conference League.
Despite their 2-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion Man Utd’s eighth-placed finish is their lowest in Premier League history.
Luton relegation confirmed
At the bottom, the miraculous set of results required for Luton Town to stay up did not come to pass. The Hatters needed to win at home to Fulham and for Nottingham Forest to lose at Burnley with a 12-goal swing, but the Hatters went down to a 4-2 defeat while Forest secured a 2-1 victory.
This meant that all three promoted teams were relegated, only the second time that has happened in the 32 seasons of the Premier League. The other time came 26 years ago, in 1997/98.
Klopp’s farewell
At Anfield there was an emotional farewell for Jurgen Klopp, who left Liverpool on a winning note with a 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Goal record set
Meanwhile the record for the most goals scored in a Premier League season was easily broken. The record of 1,222 goals from the opening season of the competition in 1992/93 was beaten when Jarell Quansah scored Liverpool’s second. In the end, the new highest total ended up at 1,246 goals.
Golden awards
In the race for the Castrol Golden Boot, Man City striker Erling Haaland retained the award, with 27 goals, despite missing a number of chances against West Ham.
The Castrol Playmaker of the Season award went to Ollie Watkins, for registering 13 assists in 2023/24.
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