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Pep Guardiola’s team, who came into the final round with an advantage, beat Aston Villa 3-2 after trailing 2-0. Jürgen Klopp’s men beat Wolves 3-1, but it was not enough for them
Manchester City revalidated the Premier League title in a game to die for. Those of Pep Guardiola and the citizens fans went through all moods: joy, despair, agony and happiness, and in five minutes they went from being on the verge of being left empty-handed to securing the English league.
The Etihad Stadium was the scene of an agonizing duel in which at 68 minutes the scoreboard reflected a 2-0 against with goals from Cash and Coutinho. However, Aston Villa could not withstand the pressure and Gundogan (twice) and Rodri reversed the result and endorsed the final 3-2.
A similar situation was experienced at Anfield as Klopp’s men also turned the score around by starting to fall 1-0. Despite Red ‘s 3-1 victory, Manchester claimed champions in a season that was once again defined by a point difference.
Two minutes into the game , the Manchester City fans were already beginning to celebrate, not because of what was happening at the Etihad Stadium with their team, but because of what was happening at Anfield, since Wolves opened the scoring there with a both early by Pedro Neto.
Pep Guardiola’s men, meanwhile, did not want to be distracted by what was happening in Liverpool and kept pressing, looking for that goal that would give them more peace of mind. After 10 minutes, the teams were not taking advantage despite the fact that the locals took possession of the ball.
The first dangerous arrival was for City with a run by Kevin De Bruyne who, after slipping on the edge of the area, ended in a cross shot by Phil Foden which went very close to the right post. While this was happening in Manchester, Sadio Mané equalized the score for Liverpool (1-1).
The surprise was going to come 37 minutes into the first half. Despite the fact that City was the clear dominator of the match, in Aston Villa’s first attack came the goal that put the definition in suspense. After a cross from Lucas Digne, the Polish Matty Cash entered the middle and hit an impossible header for Ederson.
There were moments of great tension during the break in Manchester. Although the partial result with which they retired to the locker room still served to be champion (by goal difference), City retired forced to convert quickly in the second half. On the other hand, with the tie, Liverpool was going to start the second half with the aim of scoring and taking the lead to turn the definition around.
In the second half, with the entry of Zinchenko for Fernandinho, Guardiola’s men had four dangerous chances. The locals came out determined from the start, however, the citizens ‘ hearts stopped for a few seconds with a counterattack from Aston Villa in the 54th minute, when Watkins had the 2-0 at his feet and a good start from Ederson drowned out his cry .
As the minutes passed, the constant pressure from the locals faded in an atmosphere in which desperation began to reign. The good setback of those led by Steven Gerrard began to bother Guardiola’s men, who continued to insist, but without too much danger.
At 68 minutes the cry of goal was heard twice . After a long serve by Olsen, the ball was left to Philippe Coutinho who controlled it perfectly, entered the area from the left wing and defined the first post. It was shouted by the fans of Aston Villa and those of Liverpool at Anfield, who were still waiting for a goal from their team to start dreaming of the Premier League.
But at 75 minutes the unexpected was going to happen when the local fans began to worry about the team’s play and the zero on their scoreboard. With a quarter of an hour to go, Gündoğan (entered from the bench) made it 2-1. The shout emboldened Guardiola’s men who pressed again as at the beginning to the point that, two minutes after the German’s goal, a shot by Rodri arrived from outside the area with which they equalized the result.
The Etihad Stadium exploded in the 80th minute when in a flurry of good football, İlkay Gündoğan scored again . After a cross from below by De Bruyne, the former Dortmund came from behind and pushed the ball to reverse the situation. Despite Liverpool’s goals (at 83 and at 87 for 3-1), the three goals in five minutes made City once again crowned Premier League champions for the second consecutive time.
