2 2GG Monday May 23 2022 | the times
thegame
De Bruyne’s refusal to settle for
second that set up a huge trophy
presentation show that Cecil B
DeMille would have been proud of.
After waves of backroom staff
emerged from the tunnel, Kyle
Walker went up to collect his medal
filming events on his iPhone. Gabriel
Jesus balanced the trophy on his
head, then walked around, holding his
post-match sustenance of banana and
energy gels. John Stones swiggedChief Football Writer
At Etihad Stadium
in the side, dreams can come true.
And comebacks.
De Bruyne adorned the programme
cover and graced long stretches of the
season with his sublime passing, and
it was his sheer strength of
personality that turned around events
here. Others may wear the armband
at times, whether Rúben Dias or the
departing Fernandinho, but De
Bruyne is the brains, engine and
heartbeat of this fabulous side. It wasRodri’s long ball into the Villa area,
his clearance seemed destined for
Douglas Luiz. De Bruyne, his senses
so sharp, anticipated and was already
on the move, swooping, intercepting,
powering into the area.
The speed of his arrival swept him
past Mings, and the accuracy of his
delivery gave Gundogan a
straightforward finish. The
celebrations were wild, substitutes
running on the field, euphoria
sweeping through the terraces, yet De
Bruyne remained calm. When all the
players finished congratulating
Gundogan, De Bruyne hugged the
scorer briefly, said a few words and
got on with the game. There was still
work to do. With Liverpool leading
against Wolves, City could not afford
any slip-up.
Liverpool deserve immense credit
for stopping the race becoming a
procession, responding to being 14
points adrift of City in mid-January,
albeit having played two games fewer.
Guardiola sportingly congratulated
Liverpool for “the incredible battle”,
and Jürgen Klopp’s side pushed them
all the way. Liverpool have many
admirers but this City team are
something else, taking 93 points out
of a possible 114. And with De BruyneManchester City supporters swarmed
across the pitch at the final whistle,
some holding up blue smoke bombs,
the plumes rising and spirits soaring
even higher at a fourth title in five
years. Six fans climbed on a crossbar,
snapping it, just as their indomitable
players had finally broken through
Aston Villa’s dogged defence three
times in six minutes late on, so
breaking Liverpool hearts.
As the goals went in, fans looked at
each other in hope and finally joy.
They embraced, they sang, they
shared an unforgettable experience
and they did the Poznan. They
eventually vacated the pitch, although
not without incident and City
promised a lifetime ban for the fan
who assaulted Robin Olsen, the Villa
goalkeeper. It was depressing that,
once again, a celebration should
be scarred.
For this was a memorable end to
the season. The two key results, City
v Villa and Liverpool v
Wolverhampton Wanderers, finished
as expected with home wins for the
best sides in the land but the route
was complicated, emotional, nerve-
draining but ultimately uplifting for
City.
Ten years ago City celebrated 93:20.
Now they will cherish 76, 78, 81, the
minutes that will go down in history,
that will for ever be in City hearts.
It says everything for the sporting
integrity of the Premier League that
Villa and Wolves fought so hard. No
other elite competition offers such
sustained drama, bringing 39 goals on
the final day, and this switchback ride.
City are worthy champions because
of the character they demonstrated
here and across the season, because
of the quality and will to win of Kevin
De Bruyne in particular, and because
of the brilliance of their manager, Pep
Guardiola.
As the title’s destiny was confirmed,
City fans sang De Bruyne’s name. For
it was this driven Belgium playmaker
who decided this astonishing Premier
League race.
Others played their part yesterday,
of course, not least Ilkay Gundogan
with his two far-post poaching acts
either side of Rodri’s measured finish,
but it was De Bruyne who took
charge when City trailed to goals
from Matty Cash and Philippe
Coutinho after 68 minutes. Guardiola
looked down in disbelief. João
Cancelo dropped to his haunches.
Phil Foden had his head in his hands.
Jack Grealish, the £100 million recruit
from Villa, slumped back in his
substitute’s seat. De Bruyne, though,
responded defiantly. Not on his
watch. He shouted encouragement to
his crestfallen team-mates. He stood
up to be counted.
With the title tide threatening to
turn against them, De Bruyne took
responsibility, took the ball and drove
forward. Others responded. Raheem
Sterling got down the right and lifted
his cross for Gundogan to head in.
Oleksandr Zinchenko stroked the ball
back to Rodri, whose low shot flew in.
De Bruyne simply did not rest — and
this is what sets players like him
apart. When Tyrone Mings cut outHENRY
WINTER
HOW DID THEY ALMOST LOSE THAT?0 mins 15 30 45 45 60 75 90Attacking threat
Man City more threatening Gundogan 76’ Gundogan
81’Rodri 79’Statisticians Opta produced a graph to show who was on top throughout the gameCash 37’ Coutinho 69’Aston Villa
more
threateningFIRST
HALFSECOND
HALFDefiant De Bruyne stands
5 11
FOULS71% 29%
POSSESSION52
SHOTS ON TARGET32
Cash 37
Coutinho 69Gündogan 76, 81
Rodri 78RATINGS
Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson 6 — J Stones 6,
Fernandinho 6 (O Zinchenko 46min, 8), A Laporte,
J Cancelo 6 — K De Bruyne 7, Rodri 7, B Silva 6
(I Gundogan 68, 8) — R Mahrez 6 (R Sterling 54, 8),
P Foden 7, G Jesus 6.
Aston Villa R Olsen 6 — M Cash 7, C Chambers 7,
T Mings 7, L Digne 7 — J McGinn 7, D Luiz 7,
J Ramsey 7 (D Ings 83) — E Buendía 6 (A Young
88), P Coutinho 7 (M Nakamba 71) — O Watkins 6.
Booked Mings, Nakamba.
Referee M Oliver. Attendance 53,395.Man City Aston Villa
The substitute
Gundogan starts
the fightback by
heading beyond
Olsen, Rodri then
celebrates his
equaliser, left,
before Gundogan
supplies the final
twist on a nerve-
draining day by
arriving at the far
post to score the
title-clinching
goal, far right.
Zinchenko, right,
drapes a
Ukrainian flag
around the
trophy. After he
stepped back to
let the City fans
see it, they
responded with a
thunderous
ovation81MIN
GUNDOGAN, 3-276MIN
GUNDOGAN, 1-278MIN
RODRI, 2-2THREE GOALS IN 5MIN 36SEC