Manchester City wrapped up the title on Sunday without lifting a finger, as rivals Manchester United suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at home to relegation-threatened West Brom, handing the trophy to Pep Guardiola’s side.
City have not relinquished top spot in the Premier League since the fifth week of the campaign, having won 28 of their 33 games played so far, wrapping up the title with five matches to spare.
With 93 goals scored and some big wins along the way, including a 5-0 success against Liverpool, a 6-0 victory away at Watford and a 4-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur, City have provided plenty of entertainment on their way to winning the league title for the first time since 2014.
Here, our writers, Chris Bailey, Tom Biggs and Aditya Devavrat have their say on just how good this Manchester City side is, and what’s next for Guardiola’s men.
Is this Manchester City side the best Premier League team of all-time?
CB: Don’t let recency bias fool you into thinking that City’s class of 2018 are anything short of spectacular. Two of their three defeats on the bounce came against an inspired Liverpool in the Champions League – and they simply took their eye of the ball in the Manchester derby. Remember instead their 18-match winning streak, the countless clobberings of their ‘rivals’. No team has married style and substance quite like City.
TB: Guardiola and his City side have set the benchmark for others to follow. They have dismantled those around them – bar narrow defeats to Liverpool and United – and simply bullied everyone outside the top six. Their play, possession and passing has mesmerised and amazed. Should they set the record points total, as they are likely to do, there’ll be no question that this City side is the greatest the Premier League has ever seen.
AD: It’s hard to look past Manchester United’s Treble-winning side of 1998/99 and Arsenal’s Invincibles from 2003/04 in this debate. City have been imperious and just about all-conquering this season, and if they get to 100 points they’d merit a place in the conversation, just as the current record-holders for points in a season, Chelsea from 2004/05, do. At best, they’ll get into the top three – which is no small feat.
Can they be stopped in the Premier League next season?
CB: For sheer probability’s sake, the Sky Blues won’t have it quite so easy next season. But what should trouble the rest is how young their core is – Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane all 26 or comfortably under. It doesn’t mean that they have the perfect squad, of course, as they would do well to heed the lessons learned by an all-conquering Real Madrid – who bought no one in the summer and have been embarrassed in La Liga.
TB: The onus will be on Manchester City’s rivals. They have dominated against the league’s lesser sides this season, dropping just six points against those outside of the top six, while United have dropped 17 and both Liverpool and Tottenham have missed out on 15 points. If City’s rivals don’t improve against weaker opposition, Guardiola’s side will be ready to become just the third club to retain the Premier League title.
AD: Recent history suggests the answer to this question is yes. The same question was asked after Chelsea dominated the league last season, and two years before that. Both times, another team successfully took up the challenge. City’s consistency over this season will be hard to replicate – for City themselves. Liverpool, United and even Tottenham will feel they are only a few adjustments away from reaching City’s level, and Chelsea will also expect an improved showing.
Manchester City have run away with the Premier League, but came unstuck against Liverpool in the Champions League
What does Pep Guardiola need to do for them to conquer Europe?
CB: Not panic – as good as Liverpool were over the two legs, they hardly cast doubt on Guardiola’s methods. City were caught flat-footed at Anfield and the tie was more or less decided within half an hour. While the infamous attack on that bus cannot be blamed entirely for the collapse, it certainly didn’t help. In the second leg, a bizarre bout of team selection tinkering backfired. Guardiola needs to stay true to himself. Even in a perfect year, though, the Champions League is no sure thing.
TB: Keep it simple. Guardiola overthought his tactics for the first leg against Liverpool and they were unable to recover after a simply stunning 45 minutes from Jurgen Klopp’s side. Defensively they must be more resolute, but the key will be to simply produce their Premier League displays on the European stage. With the experience of the shock elimination to Liverpool behind them, Guardiola’s side will be in better shape come crunch time next season.
AD: It’s difficult to see what Guardiola can do differently. The changes he made in his team selection against Liverpool were born out of a desire to ensure even more control of a game; essentially, his Plan B was to take Plan A to the extreme. It’s been six straight Champions League campaigns where someone has managed to successfully counter this – it’s up to Guardiola to decide whether he sees a pattern or six one-off results.
