Manchester City Wins the 2021/2022 Premier League Trophy

It was a dramatic time with loud celebrations for Manchester City, and it was impossible to overlook the parallels.

Manchester City looked pumped as they trailed Aston Villa by two goals with 76 minutes remaining, knowing they needed three goals to win because, well, did anyone really think Liverpool would lose to Wolves at Anfield?

The Etihad Stadium was a tense environment. It had been since the start of the game.

🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆

Congratulations on an unbelievable season and being crowned 2020/21 #PremierLeague champions! pic.twitter.com/6X88kBrrU7

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 11, 2021

Villa had lost their previous 11 league games in a row at City, the longest such streak against a single opponent in league history. They were, however, prepared to defy the trend. When Villa went up 2-0, their manager, Steven Gerrard, was about to help his favorite team, Liverpool, win the championship.

The city was working on its own script. Just as they did in 2012 when they needed two goals in stoppage time against Queens Park Rangers to steal the title from Manchester United. Everyone recalls what occurred at the time. A statue of Sergio Agüero was unveiled on the club’s tenth anniversary.

This time, the city did not leave it so late. Regardless, their solution was magnificent. In 81 minutes, a sprint from Kevin De Bruyne – who always finds a way – was followed by a low cross from him and a finish from Ilkay Gündogan at the far post.

Gündogan, who had entered the game as a substitute in the 68th minute, had kicked off the comeback with a thunderous header after a cross from another substitute, Raheem Sterling. Pep Guardiola’s other substitution, Oleksandr Zinchenko, equalized, and City’s path to a fourth title in five seasons was clear when Gündogan scored his second. A pitch invasion and the demolition of one of the goals followed the final whistle. There was a relief and delicious delight for Guardiola and his players.

There had been pyrotechnics before kick-off, with the smoke from them hanging in the air for the first few minutes before Wolves took an early lead at Liverpool. The home crowd erupted in applause, but the city had to believe that they needed to write their own story, to find a way through the pressure.

Jürgen Klopp blamed it all on Manchester City, and Gerrard agreed. Klopp also stated that Liverpool had nothing to lose and everything to gain, but the notion that City had the opposite was absurd. They were trying to win the title and set the tone for the season, but it was easy to worry after their poor game against West Ham on Sunday.

Because no City fan wanted to see too many footraces between Fernandinho and Ollie Watkins, he started in central defense. The first one in the early exchanges made it clear that there was a severe mismatch. Is an accident on the verge of happening?

Guardiola was in his customary agony as each mishandled pass from the sky blues, every halted move, brought piercing shouts. The manager wanted his players to pick up the pace, and there was a point shortly after the half-hour mark when the ball went out and no replacement was available. Guardiola hastily looked around before yelling to the heavens and pointing in a rage. Could we please have a game?

Villa sought to control the tempo, as Gerrard would have it; they wanted to squander time, as the City fans would contend. After goalkeeper Robin Olsen took an age over a clearing in the 32nd minute, Michael Oliver talked to Villa captain Tyrone Mings. Villa stepped up the tempo when they worked a move along the left flank, and when Lucas Digne crossed, Matty Cash got the better of Joo Cancelo to fire a header past Ederson. Guardiola’s nerves were frayed at this point.

Except for a Phil Foden shot that went just wide, City produced little before the break. After cutting in from the right, Gabriel Jesus also miskicked. The city ran into brick walls frequently, and Villa finished the first half in command. Watkins got away from Fernandinho twice, only to be checked by him the first time (no foul) and helped out the second time by John Stones. Aymeric Laporte also blocked a shot for Watkins.

At halftime, Guardiola removed Fernandinho. It was a decision that had failed miserably. Zinchenko started at left-back, Cancelo switched sides, and Stones moved into the center. With Emi Martnez sidelined, Olsen was making his first Villa appearance of the season, and City had some concerns for him.

After a wonderful Zinchenko run, De Bruyne lashed high and Digne leaped into a saving block on Riyad Mahrez to start the second half with more purpose. When Cancelo came from the right, he crossed the line, and Jesus just reached out and lifted him over the crossbar.

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙈𝙋𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎 🏆

🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/5T678GGPnO

— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 11, 2021

A calamity loomed over the city. Watkins ran clean through from midway away from Laporte after an Olsen clearance, but his finish was barely wide. For the home fans, it was a heart-in-mouth moment that perfectly captured the mood. Calum Chambers stopped Jesus’ shot, and De Bruyne squandered a free-kick.

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However, it was difficult to overlook the city’s defensive frailties. Villa didn’t, and the stage was created for Philippe Coutinho when Watkins headed on a high Olsen ball. The first touch was flawless, moving him inside Laporte on the bounce with the outside of the boot, and the finish was rifled low into the near corner.

The action at Anfield seemed to have taken precedence, but City dug deeper, their champion courage emblazoned across the surface. The City substitutes raced onto the pitch in excitement when Gündogan scored the winner. Liverpool was powerless to intervene.

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