City lifts its fourth Premier in the last five years after coming back from 0-2 against Aston Villa in five minutes. Two goals from Gundogan and one from Rodri unleashed the madness.
Fate (if you believe in it) wanted the Premier League to be decided on the last day of the tenth anniversary of Aguero's 93:20. As Guardiola stressed a week ago, all the work of 37 previous games gathered in 90 minutes, or 95 minutes. He had to fire Fernandinho as he played. Captain on and off the field.
A victory at the Etihad Stadium against our team gave us the fourth Premier League in the last five years. An ideal scenario, desired situation, INITIAL DRAMA
Despite the initial territorial dominance and the possession of the City, the occasions did not finish arriving. The tension was chewing. Errors were not allowed, and failure was not wanted.
The first big celebration of the afternoon came via Liverpool. Wolverhampton advanced, and the Etihad Stadium roared. A world was missing. The view had to remain fixed on what was happening in Manchester.
The Premier was played at home. With City grabbing the paella by the handle. You didn't have to look askance at Anfield. It was enough to beat an Aston Villa that had nothing at stake.
Given the losses in the defensive line, Guardiola opted to place
Fernandina as central defender and Stones as right back. Gabriel Jesus was the point of reference with Foden and Mahrez on the wings.
The Premier went through the Etihad, and the Premier got complicated at the Etihad. In the 37th minute, the first clear arrival of Aston Villa, across from the left-wing, ended with a Matty Cash header into the net. He was rowing. Nobody said it was going to be okay.
With 0-1 at Anfield, City was still championed, but the victory was necessary not to suffer. Liverpool could turn it around at any time. The Reds' equalizer came before the break.
The situation, with 45 minutes to go, had overtones of drama. Liverpool was one goal away from lifting the Premier League, while City needed to come from behind to secure the title.
Guardiola wanted to shake the tree at rest. Fernandinho was substituted at halftime. He added depth with Zinchenko at left-back. Stones became central. Cancelo changed sides to attack the right flank.
The City looked a bit more toned at the start of the second half, but it was still far from that best version we had grown accustomed to this season.
The drama seemed to materialize in the 50th minute. Liverpool scored and came from behind at Anfield. For a minute, he was a virtual champion. The VAR annulled the goal for clearly offside.
In Manchester, the trend did not change. Sterling and Gundogan came on to change the match's pace, but City ran aground time and time again. Practically no clear chances were reported.
At minute 69, the drama seemed to mutate into tragedy. On Aston Villa's second shot on goal, Coutinho scored what appeared to be the game-winner. 0-2 with 20 minutes to go, while Liverpool constantly hovered around the goal at Anfield.
The faces at the Etihad Stadium were a poem. The City was, at that time, a virtual champion, but the feeling was that the team was on edge. A ledge, moreover, that was not in Manchester at the time.
AND THE MADNESS WAS UNLEASHED IN 5 MINUTES
However, honoring the tenth anniversary of Aguero's 93:20, the best was yet to come. What was experienced at the Etihad from minute 76 to minute 81 was absolute madness. It was a brutal explosion of emotions.
In 76, the two players who had just entered the field met to continue believing. Sterling found the bottom line on the right-wing, and his '82; one usual suspect was yet to appear this season. De Bruyne, in his driving style, ended up providing a candy assist for the most visible hero of the afternoon, Gundogan, who did not fail with everything in his face. He practically pushed her onto the goal line.
3 to 2, and the explosion of joy at the Etihad Stadium was total. The faces of suffering were now faces of tremendous happiness. There were 10 minutes left, and it was time to numb the game.
At Anfield, the second and third came from Liverpool, but it didn't matter. Homework was almost done in Manchester.
Without further shock for the good of the hearts of all City fans, Michael Oliver, the referee, whistled the end of the match. The fourth Premier of the last five years arrived. The City returned to be champion, Again with epic. Again, with a comeback in the final minutes. Aguero deserved this tribute. Fernando too. Long live happy endings. Center, measured, found Gundogan's head. Hope was not lost.
The left flank and his low back pass were gifts to give power to a possible shot. Rodri, immense in front of the goal this season, did not hesitate and hit it with his soul from the front. Get in. 2 to 2, and there were 12 minutes left.
City grew. The most complicated part was done, but the lace was missing.
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