May 22 – Manchester City have won the Premier League for a third successive time, cementing their dominance of the English game and keeping the dream of a treble alive. It was their fifth Premier League title in six and was delivered after title rivals Arsenal lost at Nottingham Forest 1-0.
Arsenal led the Premier League table for 248 days in the 2022-23 season, but ultimately their squad proved to be too limited, and in the final weeks of the season City never relented.
“The Premier League is, without doubt, the most demanding and competitive league in the world, so that tells you everything about what an achievement this is,” said Manchester City captain Ilker Gundogan. “To have won this trophy three times in a row and five times in six years is incredible.”
“That quality and consistency help sum up what Manchester City stand for and ensures the club will continue to strive for success going forward. It has been a season I will never forget.”
On Sunday, City celebrated the new league crown in style with a routine 1 -0 at home against a tormented Chelsea. City are only the fifth club to win three successive top-flight titles in England, following Huddersfield Town (1924-26), Arsenal (1933-35), Liverpool (1982-84) and Manchester United, who did it twice under Sir Alex Ferguson (1999-2001 and 2007-09).
City’s success this season was in a large part built on the integration of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, who arrived last summer from Borussia Dortmund.
He has scored 52 goals in 48 games in all competitions – including a record-breaking 36 goals in 33 Premier League appearances.
The victory against Chelsea and the English title come days after a landmark 4-0 Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, ensuring City will have a chance to win the European Cup for the first time against Inter Milan in the competition’s final on June 10 in Istanbul.
In the FA Cup final on June 3 at Wembley, City will face crosstown rivals Manchester United, who achieved the feat in the 1998-1999 season.
But much of City’s achievements this season and in recent years come with an asterisk. In February, the Premier League charged the club with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules during the Sheikh Mansour era. The Abu Dhabi prince took over City in 2008 and built a modern superclub. However, City stand accused of falsifying accounts and inflating sponsorship deals.
City have said they are “surprised by the charges” but welcomed the “review of this matter by an independent commission to impartially consider” their case. City claim their case is supported by a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence”.
The club have always denied any wrongdoing.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1714159732labto1714159732ofdlr1714159732owedi1714159732sni@i1714159732tnuk.1714159732ardni1714159732mas1714159732