“It’s a team on a whole different level.”
Manchester City (Man City) has achieved the great feat of winning the English Premier League (EPL) three times in a row. Manchester City is the second player in history to reach the top for three consecutive seasons since the launch of the EPL, after Manchester United. Sky Sports commentator Jamie Carragher, a former Liverpool legend, praised Man City as “a team on a completely different level.”
Man City, led by Pep Guardiola (52, Spain), confirmed the championship with the news of Arsenal’s 0-1 defeat in the 37th round of the 2022-23 EPL between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal held at The City Ground in Nottingham, England on the 21st (Korean time). . With only one game left, the gap between Arsenal and Man City widened to more than four points, putting an end to the winning race.
It is the third consecutive season that Man City has risen to the top of the EPL following the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Since the launch of the EPL, the team that has achieved three consecutive victories is Man City, the second team in history since Manchester United, who reached the top from the 2006-07 season to the 2008-09 season. In particular, Man City has built a ‘Man City Dynasty’ by climbing to the top of the EPL 5 times out of 6 seasons, as well as the recent 3 consecutive losses.
Even until the middle of the season, Arsenal took the lead and Man City followed. Even when the gap between the two teams widened to 8 points, Arsenal seemed to be regaining EPL supremacy after 19 years.
However, there was an overwhelming difference in concentration in the second half of the season. Man City won both confrontations with Arsenal in February and April, and continued its 11-game winning streak toward the top of the league until the 14th. On the other hand, Arsenal fell into a swamp with only 2 wins (3 draws and 3 losses) in the last 8 games since the match against Liverpool on April 10, and gave up the championship title to Man City on their own.
Coach Guardiola set a record of winning three league titles in a row with Manchester City following Barcelona (Spain) and Bayern Munich (Germany). In the last 14 seasons of his coaching career, he led the team to the top of the league for 11 seasons. Through various tactical changes, such as operating an unfamiliar 3-2-4-1 tactic, he rose to the ranks of the world’s best command towers in name and reality.
‘Monster striker’ Elling Hollan, who moved from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City, played a key role in the EPL championship by scoring 36 goals (1st place), the highest ever in a single season. Kevin De Bruyne served as the core of the team’s tactics with 16 assists (first place). The concentration of the defense team, which gave up only 31 runs in 35 games, also played a key role in achieving 3 consecutive EPL victories.
British public broadcaster BBC said, “Guardiola’s genius has built a dynasty that will grow stronger in the future. Man City right now is a team with no weaknesses.” The Guardian said, “Man City has completely defeated Arsenal both at home and away since mid-February. Hollan played a decisive role in Man City’s victory, and Man City achieved overwhelming results, not only scoring the most goals in the league, but also recording the least goals.”
Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan said: “There is no doubt that the Premier League is the most difficult and most competitive league in the world. The achievement of winning the EPL 3 times in a row and winning 5 times out of the last 6 seasons is more surprising and great. Above all, this achievement would not have been possible without the support of the fans.”
While holding the EPL championship title, Man City also crossed the first hurdle for the treble (three crowns) this season. Manchester City will play Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3 and Inter Milan (Italy) and UEFA Champions League final on the 11th.스포츠토토
If Man City achieves the treble, it will be the second EPL club ever since Manchester United led by Alex Ferguson in 1999. “Now Manchester City will have an edge against Manchester United and Inter Milan,” Carragher said. I think Manchester City will achieve the treble.”