Four Premier League titles in a row for Pep Guardiola and his Man City stars! They have beaten West Ham 3-1 today, with Phil Foden’s double and Rodri’s strike putting them over the top.
Although their closest challenges Arsenal also won their last match, but it’s not enough for the title with Man City’s victory.
Arsenal had kicked off two points back against Everton; they were praying for a miracle. It did not come to pass. It was never going to and the truth was that despite the best efforts of the West Ham winger, Mohammed Kudus, who scored a ridiculously good overhead kick goal for 2-1, it never felt remotely likely.
Manchester City claimed their record fourth Premier League title in a row on a dramatic final day of the 2023/24 season.
A 3-1 home win over West Ham United clinched a sixth title for Pep Guardiola and Man City in seven seasons, a level of unprecedented domination in the competition’s history.
City knew that a win at the Etihad Stadium was all they needed to stay ahead of title rivals Arsenal and they got the job done thanks to two early goals from Phil Foden, the first a stunner. Mohammed Kudus’s spectacular overhead-kick gave the leaders a scare but Rodri struck 14 minutes into the second half to restore City’s two-goal lead.
Arsenal struggled to claim the win they needed, going behind to a deflected free-kick from Idrissa Gana Gueye to put Everton in front. Takehiro Tomiyasu sent the two teams in level at half-time and Kai Havertz scored a late winner, but it was ultimately in vain for the Gunners as City eased to a 3-1 victory.
Premier League pundit Thierry Henry said on Arsenal’s late victory: “Arsenal did what they had to do on the day. Like I said before, it’s not in your hands even if you win the game. You’d have to wait and see what happened at the Etihad. It’s not an easy one. We can put it to an ‘at least you pushed Man City all the way.’ I go back to the Villa game, you don’t give Man City the chance to have the title in their hands.”
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.
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 win 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.
The Castrol Playmaker of the Season award went to Ollie Watkins, for registering 13 assists in 2023/24.
