Manchester City are the 2023-24 Premier League champions – the first time in 135 years of top-flight football that a club has earned the English league name for 4 seasons in a row.
For the tenth time in the Premier League era, the name was due to be on the final day. At 15:59, the scenario was simple: Arsenal needed to win and forced City to abandon the issues against West Ham. Two years ago, City lost 2-0 to Aston Villa on the final day, potentially giving Liverpool its name, before rallying to win 3-2. Would a similar scenario occur today?
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No, not really. Any nerves the defending champions might have felt dissipated after 118 seconds when Phil Foden hit home from outside the box. Before the game lasted 20 minutes, the score was 2-0, thanks to Foden.
The first noisy atmosphere in the Emirates was understandably affected when the news leaked, and Arsenal fans calmed down even more when Everton took the lead in the 40th minute. Almost simultaneous goals for Arsenal, through Takehiro Tomiyasu, and West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus in The Least hinted at a dramatic life on the final day as half-time approached.
But any hopes of an opponent’s finish for 2011-12, or even 2021-22, were dashed when Rodri made it 3-1 against City in the 59th minute. Arsenal scored late through Kai Havertz, but it was only a comfortable win, albeit in a season of progress for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Here, our writers break down some of the key moments of a dramatic afternoon.
Frank Lampard’s highest goal total in the Premier League was 22 in the 2009–10 season, his second-highest was 16. He was given double numbers for 10 consecutive seasons in midfield and that’s why his goalscoring prowess is still considered the norm. , even now, so that’s all Foden has managed 19 this season.
The City midfielder has played a few games on the touchline, and not just nominally, but those numbers approve of the individual awards he wins. Of course, it’s not just about numbers, because his grace with the ball and the frequency with which he scores the goal have also earned him many votes. There was no nerves at all in this game, but you never know what would have happened if I hadn’t scored that goal so early. Sure of this, he doubled the lead in 20 minutes to make the match as serene as possible.
Had his teammates been so lethal, the score could have been 5-0 at half-time. After West Ham won one and Arsenal drew at Everton, the Etihad were incredibly nervous until Rodri made it 3-1.
Honestly, you may not believe it, but City enthusiasts are pessimistic and no one can catch their breath before that third goal. Actually, a little reminder of the player of the year scenario: Foden is brilliant, but Rodri is there when you need him. also.
Sam Lee
It all seemed so inevitable when the news of City’s first transfers leaked out. Where is the danger? The atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium darkened for a while. Arsenal lacked some of their usual verve and Everton were in a position to compete in a low block. The clock was pushed further back for Arsenal when Declan Rice, among others, saw Idrissa Gueye free. The kick bounces off his head and passes.
Football suddenly sparked a dramatic turn in the afternoon. Tomiyasu’s equalizer push revived the team and the crowd. Moments later, the message came that West Ham had scored a goal. After that, there was a brief chaos with one of the stupid ones. 2-2 rumours at the Etihad.
Another City goal burst into the air in the second half, until the winner’s goal came through Kai Havertz. Then the volume turned up and the team’s pride began to dominate. Faith in the game was touched, but not love for the team.
Amy Laurent
When Arsenal won the Premier League in 1997-98 and 2001-02, their last home game of the season was against Everton. They failed to manage a hat-trick here due to Manchester City’s win, which made their result academic. They have 88 minutes to go to take the lead against Everton.
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Playing against a Sean Dyche side on a final day is almost the last thing Arteta would have wanted. With the exception of the three contenders by name, Dyche is the team that has conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League. They sit deep and preserve the centers well. They protect the defense with 3 combative midfielders who reject the opponent’s area between the lines. His ends are removed to keep the team horizontally compact and, when at his best, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a wonderful target, capable of picking. Throw the ball in the air or offer speed from behind.
Oh, and Dyche insists his captain chooses to transfer if he wins the pre-match draw, as he did here for the twelfth time in 19 away games this season.
And to pay tribute to Everton for their attacking play, they counter-attacked here, twice forcing Arsenal players into cynical tackles that led to free-kicks in dangerous positions. The first opened the scoring, Gueye’s free-kick deflected hard off Declan Rice.
It’s not the same kind of old game you see this phrase in, but it was a clever display for the Premier League: a mid-table team that had nothing at stake gave 100 per cent and almost won a point.
Michael Cox
David Moyes’ decision to move towards a five-man defence against Manchester City did not save Pep Guardiola’s side from winning their fourth successive Premier League title after scoring three goals against West Ham United.
It could have been more if it weren’t for Alphonse Areola’s saves and Erling Haaland’s first-half misses. City’s form on the ball looked competitive from the start with Josko Gvardiol in a tight position up front on the left side, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne between the lines, and Jeremy Doku and Bernardo Silva flanking Haaland.
Foden’s brilliant shot towards the far post gave City the lead within two minutes, but it was his moment that showed how much Guardiola’s side were looking to play through West Ham with Gvardiol in left half, allowing the England midfielder to occupy space. more central position, where passing combinations finally found him in the box. In the second half, City continued to immobilise Moyes’ side in their own half from the penalty spot and Rodri’s shot made it three.
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West Ham tried to make things difficult for City with five full-backs out of ownership and concentrate on locating Vladimir Coufal’s runs down the right flank, but apart from a few minutes of nervousness after Kudus’ goal, the new (and old) champions looked into the game.
Ahmed Walid
If City are known for looking to ‘make their mark’, then their performance against West Ham couldn’t have been more befitting of their genre. Against a West Ham side with five defenders who sat down completely, City opted to shoot on sight rather than look. to open the lock with passes.
Foden opened the game with two quick touches, taking Bernardo Silva’s inside pass towards goal with a great first touch and then passing in front of Areola. His sixth goal from outside the box this season, only with Christian Eriksen (six, 2018). -19), having achieved as many in the last six seasons: the result is almost the same as Foden’s first goal in the home win in the Manchester derby.
Rodri’s goal had shadows of his winning goal against Inter in the Champions League final. Only Liverpool (18) have scored more from outside the box than City this season (17). They have a string in the attacking goal of City, who have scored 18, 15 and 17 goals from outside the box in the last 3 seasons.
Liam Tharme
Miracles aren’t meant to happen too often. That’s the kind of problem. They are exceptional, incredible, almost unheard of. The Emirates were a place of pilgrimage, because the enthusiasts who came from here, from other places, wanted to be here just in case. Because this particular Goliath has become so monstrous, David Arsenal players knew they had put up a brilliant fight, even if they couldn’t deliver the final blow. They came here to salute this emerging team and salute their efforts this season.
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Unity may not be a reward, but it is not clearly felt, despite the outcome. It’s a club that’s one with itself. The connection connects the fans, the players, the coach, the staff, the hierarchy. This was unlikely in the pre-Arteta era and required an act of religion at Arteta’s start. Psychologically, it won’t be easy to repeat this season’s efforts. But now, at least, Arsenal feel like a club in a position to compete and aim for more.
When you hit a 100-point season with the last shot, fight Liverpool for four months, start over, and then lead 2-0 on the final day of the season with 25 minutes remaining, you know you’ve noticed something special. things over the years. Not to mention 2011-12. Therefore, it is difficult to situate this one in terms of the drama of the last day. City started the day knowing that a win would be enough, and for the first 30 minutes it was like a party inside the stadium.
Kudus’ aerial shot made things very tense until Rodri took over, and then it looked like a procession back for the remaining half hour. . . until West Ham scored in the 88th minute, causing panic in the stadium, only for VAR. to expel it by an apparent hand. Truth be told, City fans wouldn’t have wanted it to be as dramatic as the others. . .
As an overall name victory, it can be argued that it is the most productive so far, given that they also won the last 3 and the hunger may have subsided enough to save the historic fourth, and in fact after winning the treble the last year. . . This was only in their hands in mid-April, when Liverpool and Arsenal lost at home on the same day. As a result, City were favourites, only having to win their last six games. And they did it.
A familiar end to the race for the name and to qualify alongside the other five cities of the Guardiola era.
Sam Lee
Everton’s first goal came from a loose shot conceded by Thomas Partey. Dyche’s side posed a considerable risk at half-time in the first half, with the Ghanaian struggling to keep up with the midfielders. It’s been a familiar sight at Arsenal in recent weeks.
Partey has some notable advantages: his ability to shift his weight and dribble away from a scoreboard is unprecedented in the Arsenal team. He also has a talent for penetrating passes between the lines. But defensively, his game no longer has the intensity it once had. .
In some ways, it was unexpected that Arteta returned to Partey with such regularity. Jorginho has been a vital component of the Arsenal squad this season and has just signed a new contract.
Partey’s long-term is still up for debate. He will turn 31 this summer and has a long history of injuries. If Arsenal manage to locate a buyer, their position will prove ripe for a conceivable upgrade.
James McNicholas
It might be almost a quiz question: which footballer played in the first and last game of the season and nothing in between?Arsenal were very happy to welcome Jurrien Timber back to the pitch after a long road back from an ACL injury. It injected power and ambition.
Arguably, the injury that worries Arsenal the most this season raises the question of whether it would have been worth some problems throughout the season had it been fit. His versatility makes him an excellent choice at left-back, a position without a doubt.
Amy Laurent
Amy Laurent