I’ll start by painting the picture of where Man City were perceived to be at the start of the Season. The media drum beat was clear; Jose Mourinho always wins the title in his second Season, Trafford had secured two massive transfer coups over second favourites Chelsea, by beating them to the signature of Lukaku, and stealing their lynchpin Matic. Pep meanwhile had massively overspent on the defensive pairing of Walker and Mendy, and had failed to buy a “crack” player. Pep had also been proven as not up to the challenge of the Premier League through a lack lustre first season, and City would need to be happy with a top four finish.
City’s first game at Brighton gave nothing away of what was to come through the Season. This was an efficient, conservative display. City played 3-1-4-2 and as would become a frequent theme, played against a 10 man defence. Despite overwhelming possession there was little fluency. Aguero finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, but the game was only sealed by an own goal from Brighton’s centre back Dunk [result 0-2, Win]. Perhaps what was more interesting on the day were losses at home from Chelsea (beaten by Burnley 2-3) and Liverpool only managing a draw at Watford 3-3.
The next two games would however show something new in the team, only glimpses of which were present in 16/17; resolve and belief.
CITY KEY SEASON POINTER No.1 “BEING RELENTLESS”: The first home game of the Season was verses perennial banana skin Everton. Not for the first time referee Madley threatened to turn the game into a farce when just before half time he adjudged an innocuous collision between Walker and Calvert-Lewin to warrant a second yellow for City’s new right back. However, despite this set back City continued to boss the game in the second half, and City were unlucky not to take all three points, settling with an equaliser from Sterling to cancel out Rooney’s undeserved opener in the first half [result 1-1, Draw].
Better was to come. Down 1-0 to a screamer of a shot from Bournemouth’s Daniel’s in the next game, City quickly equalised through intricate play from Jesus. They then proceeded to take control and boss the game until the 95th minute, when Sterling again latched onto a loose ball in the box to skew the ball home for a 2-1 win. Although sent off for his celebration “inciting the crowd”, this again showed a togetherness and passion from the whole team, Aguero in particular was incensed and rounded on a crack pot steward for assaulting a fan pushed onto the pitch through the resulting crowd surge. [result 1-2, Win]
So without breaking into full stride City had opened the Season with a three game unbeaten run. City would proceed to prove this relentlessness through securing three wins against Huddersfield Town, Southampton and West Ham United with late, late goals. However, next up, was City’s biggest bogey team of all, Liverpool. Perhaps now the good work would come unstuck.
CITY KEY SEASON POINTER No.2 “LIVERPOOL PUT TO THE SWORD”: In the first big test of the Season, Liverpool came with all the pomp and media hype expected; they had an unstoppable attack and in manager Klopp a man who knew how to beat Pep. What followed was a rout. City were already 1-0 to the good from a measured effort from Aguero, when Sadio Mane decided to assault Ederson on the edge of the City box. Every Blue in the ground feared for the worse as the Brazilian lay prone having been kicked in the face.
Having eventually had their new keeper replaced by Bravo, City set about dismantling Liverpool. Jesus added a second and third before and after the break, before Leroy Sane went down the wing (and through the middle) to finish first near post and then shooting left footed past Mignolet to complete the 5-0 mauling. [result 5-0, Win].
It had begun, the first evidence that this team could be special, though no die hard City fan would have believed it at the time, a record 16 further wins on the bounce was incoming, an 18 game winning streak, unprecedented in the Premier League era.
KEY SEASON POINTER No.3 “AGUERO REINVENTED”: I’d also call out the next game verses Watford [result 0-6, Win] as significant. This was a Watford who were full of confidence, playing their own brand of slick football reaching fourth in the table off back to back wins and an opening day draw verses Liverpool. They were no mugs but City’s football was sublime 28 shots, 10 on target; Aguero was on fire hitting a hatrick, Silva was a ghost appearing in space that should not exist while creating two of the goals, and Kevin DeBruyne was imperious pushing home City’s advantage at every opportunity. It was Aguero who deservedly got the plaudits; one media meme in pre-Season was how it was only a matter of time before he was on his way out of City, despite Pep denying this at every opportunity.
Aguero was also having none of it; his performances combined his usual clinical finishing, with a willingness to close down space. It was an amazing two fingers to his detractors when he went on and became City’s record scorer (overtaking Eric Brook), with his 178th goal in the 4-2 Champions League win against Napoli.
West Brom were next to the sword, [result 1-2, Win]. Followed by an authoritative home win against a struggling Crystal Palace [result 5-0, Win]. This game did however provide a setback, with Benjamin Mendy suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury to his knee, which would see him ruled out for seven months in what looked an innocuous knock as he went into a challenge on the half hour.
KEY SEASON POINTER No.4 “FULL BACKS”: This setback, though severe (City would never again set up 3-1-4-2), provided two key positives in City’s Season. Firstly, although substitute on the Day – Denilson, performed a solid role when called upon, Pep looked elsewhere to replace Mendy’s versatility. Both Fabian Delph (who had made the brave decision to fight for a place rather than find easier employment elsewhere), and a little known member of City’s youth setup, Alexander Zinchenko (a find from FC Ufa in 2016). Delph was re-invented at left-back, filling in the obvious defensive role but also tactically making a midfield four when needed against tougher opposition. It's testament to Delph's hard work and Pep’s nous that many will be surprised if he does not get a deserved World Cup 2018 call up by Gareth Southgate. Zinchenko (or “Little Kev” as he came to be affectionately known), added width against teams determined to sit back and defend for 90 minutes, particularly at the Etihad, (where the previous Season had seen a number of smash and grabs from opposition in similar circumstances). This together with Walker’s emergence as undoubtedly the best right back in the Premier League, showed the necessity of Pep to get his man in the transfer window, again providing his detractors with pause for thought.
The second, and equally unexpected positive, was Mendy’s own reaction to his injury. A new signing, and only three full games into his City career in a new country, he could have been forgiven for being more than a little back on his heels.
What he did, however, was to become City’s own social media comedian and powerhouse, seeming never to miss a match or an opportunity to take the proverbial out of himself and his colleagues. His sidebar commentary to this amazing Season has been a joy for all players and fans alike. Mendy, an absolute hero.
KEY SEASON POINTER No.5 “CHELSEA AWAY”: City’s win at Chelsea was a dominant display worthy of far more goals.City had been robbed of talisman Aguero in a freak taxi crash in Holland a few days earlier, but it made no effect on the relentless waves of City’s attacks. The eventual winner was superb scored by Kevin DeBruyne, as he broke from the right, playing a one-two with Jesus before striking a thunderous shot low to Courtois' left. [result 0-1, Win]
KEY SEASON POINTER No.6 “CITY CAN TAKE IT AS WELL AS GIVE IT OUT”: In-between a further attacking master class against Stoke at home [result 7-2, Win], and a record equaling consecutive win (in all competitions) against Burnley [result 3-0, Win], City had the small matter of continuing a (to that point) successful Champions League campaign. Having dispatched Feyanoord away, and Shakhtar at home, Napoli were the visitors to the Etihad. Unbeaten themselves in Serie A, Pep had sounded several words of caution before the game, and Napoli proved him right providing the first stiff opposition to City of the Season. Napoli’s football was similar to that of City, and having gone two down to early goals from Sterling and Jesus they showed their own resilience. With an impressive short passing game which left City breathless at times, Fans were further worried when they conceded to a Diawara penalty late on. But City did not hold back and remained brave seeing the game out to a memorable 2-1 victory.
City saw out October with their eighth successive Premier League win against West Brom, [result 3-2, Win].
And so into November, and the old chestnut of “can City do it over the winter schedule”, began to rear itself as click-bait from the usual sources. City responded with a series of indomitable displays, starting by exploding the myth that Arsenal are a top team with a resounding home win, making Wenger’s face and demeanour able to sour milk at twenty paces, [result 3-1, Win]. This was quickly followed with a display at Leicester’s King Power Stadium which brought much joy, as the appalling display from 2016/17 was forgotten with goals from Jesus and DeBruyne [result 0-2, Win]. The month was topped and tailed by further wins in the Champions League away against Napoli and home verses Feyanoord; things were going well, almost too well.
December came, and the Winter unrelenting fixture congestion began. City first faced a stubborn West Ham, [result 2-1, Win], and then, shock horror, had their first defeat of the Season in the Champions League dead-rubber away to Ukrainian Champions Shakhtar Donetsk, ending a record 29 match unbeaten run.
KEY SEASON POINTER No.7 “CITY PROVEN TO BE SO MUCH BETTER THAN TRAFFORD”: And so, on the back of their first set-back, City went on to Old Trafford, bizarrely as underdogs despite all the facts and figures which may have provided an alternative set of pre-match headlines. Luckily those headlines were once more rammed down the editor’s throats as City bypassed a clueless Mourinho tactic of ten behind the ball and “hit it to Gordon” (or more accurately Lukaku) on the break.
City were dominant, though they created some problems for themselves, through a lack of clinical finishing to back up their 65% possession (a record at Old Trafford). This led to City going into the break 1-1, having had David Silva’s goal, clawed back via a defensive mistake from Otamendi gifting Rashford a 45th minute equaliser. The second half, however, was much the same as the first. Otamendi made up for his earlier error, seizing on a poor attempted clearance from Lukaku to score City’s second. The only real surprise of the game was that City did not capitalise further [result 1-2, Win]. When news of a ticker tape celebration in the City dressing room having prompted Mourinho into a bust up with the City players (and soaking with milk), the day just got better and better.
City went on to beat Swansea later in the week, [result 0-4, Win], before facing their next big test.
City went on to beat Swansea later in the week, [result 0-4, Win], before facing their next big test.
KEY SEASON POINTER No.8 “KING KEVIN DEBRUYNE”: Tottenham under their indomitable (yet strangely trophy less) Manager, Mauricio Pochettino were next to duel at the Etihad. Spurs had not been at their best, stymied in their home form through the switch to Wembley while their ground was rebuilt, but were gaining momentum and showing some of the reasons why they had top four showings in the previous two seasons.
City stopped that resurgence dead, overrunning Spurs’ defence, as Kevin DeBruyne ran rings around their midfield; despite efforts from Kane and Ali to try and end his and Sterling’s careers through (unpunished) dangerous play. When on the 70th minute DeBruyne picked himself up from another foul and went on to add a second to Gundogan’s first half goal, it was the final lesson in a masterclass. Sterling went on to add a third and fourth, but it was the Belgian who had shown what a world class player he is, [result 4-1, Win]. This was one of many such performances throughout the Season. How Kevin DeBruyne did not deservedly pick up a Player of the Year Award in the last month, is a travesty of delusional proportions from those involved. However he did pick up the "Playmaker of the Year" award on the last day of the season.
December went on and on. City followed a win on penalties following a 1-1 League Cup Quarter-Final draw verses Leicester, with further League wins against Bournemouth, [result 4-0, Win], and Newcastle, [result 0-1, Win], before relinquishing their hold on the record for most consecutive top flight wins at 18 with a hard fought draw at Crystal Palace, [result 1-1, Draw].
City entered 2018 with a 14 point cushion over Chelsea at the top of the League Table, and still with a chance of four trophies, (the latter point dismissed by most City fans but played up in the media to create headlines).
City entered 2018 with a 14 point cushion over Chelsea at the top of the League Table, and still with a chance of four trophies, (the latter point dismissed by most City fans but played up in the media to create headlines).
January proved to be mixed; City started with a convincing win in the League vs Watford, [result 3-1, Win]. They went on to beat Burnley 4-1 in the FA Cup 3rd Round, before clawing a win 2-1 at home to Bristol City in the League Cup Semi-Final home leg. This was a pre-cursor in what was the worst Premier League performance of the Season away at Anfield vs Liverpool, [result 4-3, Loss]. City had surrendered their “invincible” tag and this would later be used to beat them in comparison with other great sides including, of course, Arsenal 2003-04. City quickly recovered, however, deservedly beating Newcastle [result 3-1, Win], and West Brom [result 3-0 Win], and securing a League Cup Final place by beating Bristol away 2-3, and FA Cup 5th Round place by beating an agricultural Cardiff on their own turf 0-2.
February was light on League Games, with a draw away to Burnley, [result 1-1, Draw], and a hammering of Leicester at home, [result 5-1, Win] opening the month, but then no more until March. February’s diary being taken up with further progress in the Champions League, 0-4 win away to Basel, and a bizarre hiccup away to Wigan in the FA Cup 5th Round; following an undeserved Delph red card reducing City to ten men, City went on to an eventual 1-0 defeat despite dominating the game.
Then it was back to Wembley to again sweep aside Arsenal, taking the Carabao League Cup 3-0, with a first half strike from Aguero, followed by second half efforts from Kompany, and Silva. The first silverware of the Season had gone City’s way; could they follow it up with League success?
In March, City were defiant. Again putting Arsenal to the sword [result 0-3, Win], with the fixture gods putting City against the Gunners only days after the League Cup win. This was quickly followed by the unremarkable, but confident dispatching of Chelsea at the Etihad [result 1-0, Win]. A hiccup in the Champions League return fixture vs Basel losing 1-2 but progressing on aggregate 5-2, was quickly forgotten as City closed out the Month with League wins against Stoke [result 0-2, Win], and Everton [result, 1-3 Win]. Slowly even the City old lags such as me, the believers still in “typical City” started to have faith this was something extraordinary we were witnessing.
KEY SEASON POINTER No.9 “STILL NOT PERFECT, BUT ROBUST NEVERTHELESS”: April threatened to derail the party. Having worked so hard and affected a near perfect approach to the Champions League, Pep perhaps made his first missteps of the Season. Assisted by a series of atrocious refereeing decisions, and a yet unpunished disgusting attack on the City Team coach by Liverpool fans, an out of sorts City line-up lost first 0-3 away, and then 1-2 at home chasing the game. What was worse were the results being interspersed by a wasted once in a lifetime chance to claim the Premier League Title at home to old rivals Trafford. City started the game at the Etihad perfectly showing all the class and guile of the away win, but backing it up with a more clinical end product; going into half time 2-0 to the good with goals from Kompany and Gundogan. What happened in the interval is anyone’s guess but the City team had mentally started the celebration party too early and Trafford duly gate-crashed, with three second half goals. Denied a deserved late penalty (which also robbed City of Aguero for the rest of the Season) City really only had themselves to blame for wasting a historic moment, [result 2-3, Loss].
This was the point where the meek may have folded, the points gap reduced to 13, an unlikely Trafford resurgence was touted, and a difficult game against Spurs away was up next.
City were not, however, going to give up now. As terrible as the second half against Trafford had been, the first half against Spurs was exquisite. City bounced back against Tottenham like men possessed. They dominated the first half with a goal from Jesus, and a penalty from Gundogan, dispatched with ruthless efficiency by the German midfielder. Even an undeserved return from Eriksen did not knock City off stride, and Sterling only adding one further goal in the second half let Spurs off lightly, [result 1-3, Win]. The Friday result was made all the more delicious, as Trafford lost at home to virtually relegated West Brom on the Sunday. Being outfought by the Baggies at every turn, and thus handing City the Premier League Title for 2017/18 with 5 games to go. Well before the LOLs could subside, pictures of Man City players out on the raz in celebration in Manchester started to appear on social media, making the moment even more real and endearing to the City faithful.
City were not, however, going to give up now. As terrible as the second half against Trafford had been, the first half against Spurs was exquisite. City bounced back against Tottenham like men possessed. They dominated the first half with a goal from Jesus, and a penalty from Gundogan, dispatched with ruthless efficiency by the German midfielder. Even an undeserved return from Eriksen did not knock City off stride, and Sterling only adding one further goal in the second half let Spurs off lightly, [result 1-3, Win]. The Friday result was made all the more delicious, as Trafford lost at home to virtually relegated West Brom on the Sunday. Being outfought by the Baggies at every turn, and thus handing City the Premier League Title for 2017/18 with 5 games to go. Well before the LOLs could subside, pictures of Man City players out on the raz in celebration in Manchester started to appear on social media, making the moment even more real and endearing to the City faithful.
KEY SEASON POINTER No.10 “YOUTH”: In 2014/15 City had the oldest Premier League squad at an average 29 years of age, as they picked up their 3rd Premier Title in 6 years that had been slashed to 26. With Yaya’s and other replacements in the next window that will likely reduce still further, hopefully building a squad for success over several years, not just a single Season. All of the younger players have excelled this year, leading the way in my mind is Ederson, at 24 Years of age already almost the perfect keeper for Pep’s style of play he has barely put a foot wrong and is the rock on which Pep built his defence. John Stones, 23 years of age, with the added bonus of being English provided the perfect foil for both Kompany and Otamendi during the record breaking 18 match winning run. He’s needed some match time on his return but has the time to mature into a great. Laporte, bought in January, is also only 23 and has gelled well in the last few games with a cultured left foot and calm on the ball. We unfortunately were robbed of the best of Mendy, but again he’s only 23, and is undoubtedly one of the best crossers of the ball at left back you could hope for, augers well for the future. Sane and Sterling at 22 and 23 respectively, have the potential to be the best wingers in Europe.
Gabriel Jesus, still only 21, needs time but has shown glimpses of pure magic (more of that to come below). And all that is before we consider the academy products Zinchenko, was brilliant as a stand in left back (he’s a 21 year old attacking midfielder by trade :)), and in Brahim Diaz (18) and Stockport’s own Iniesta, Phil Foden (17) the future looks bright.
So onto the Season run in. Job already done, surely City could not keep up the intensity shown throughout the Season? Well yes in fact as we now know they could, and did. City quickly shook off any hangovers, literal or otherwise, and having politely accepted a guard of honour as Champions at home to Swansea, they promptly blew the Welsh men away with a 5-0 score line that flattered the visitors, [result 5-0, Win]. Next West Ham were also quickly dispatched on their own turf [result 1-4, Win], celebrations made sweeter by City’s old warrior Zabaleta paying respect to the away supporters. Huddersfield were more stubborn and perhaps the thoughts of finally getting their hands on the trophy at the end of the game led to a somewhat lacklustre performance from City [result 0-0, Draw], but fair play to Huddersfield who subsequently saved their Season with a further home draw verses Chelsea.
Brighton proved again that City were not to rest on any laurels, [result 3-1, Win].
This time it was a farewell to Yaya Toure, City’s own leviathan, which prompted a tear to the eye. One of the key catalysts to City’s rebirth under the new owners, Yaya has arguably above all others, dragged the best out of himself and all others around him in a City shirt. He certainly has provided two of my top three City moments; the win at Wembley in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final clash against Trafford providing the goal in the 1-0 win, and subsequently against Stoke in the Final, leaving City fans in awe and happiness as he again found space in the box to slam home a deserved winner. But there have been so many more. The Yaya 2013/14 Season, where amongst the best midfielders in Europe (unless your voting for Player of the Year or even the Month!), he almost single handedly pushed City on to the Premier Title. So long Yaya you will be missed with or without cake :).
To the last game of the Season, a finale against Southampton away. City having established a number of Premier League records already needed three more points to get to 100, to be “the Centurions”, a meaningless nickname, but one we all know will stick because everyone loves a label, especially if it gives the media an easy headline. City again had not read the script, this time forgetting that Southampton were only just safe of relegation, and had nothing to play for. The City team looked tired and the first half came a went without laying a glove on a compact and robust Southampton, determined to have their own moment of solace at the end of a difficult Season. A mad 15 minutes after the break could have seen City score a hatful, but they again fell short hitting the woodwork twice and squandering further chances. The 90th minute came and went, the fans thought it was not to be, when at the end of the 93rd minute Kevin DeBruyne (Player of the Year and don’t let anyone tell you anything different) having had a stinker of a game stepped into midfield with the ball and launched a last gasp long pass to Gabriel Jesus, it was all or nothing and the brilliant young Brazilian made it everything, controlling the ball and lobbing Southampton keeper Mcarthy all in one flawless movement, GOOOOOOOAAAALLLL!!! [result 0-1, Win], and City claim the following Premier League Records to add to the double silverware with the League Cup:
City 2017/18 Club Honours
EFL Carabao Cup Winners
FA Premier League Winners
City 2017/18 Premier League Records:
Points : 100
Wins : 32
Successive Wins : 18
Goals : 106
Away Wins : 16
Goal Difference : 79
Points Gap to 2nd : 19
Youngest Premier League Winner : Phil Foden 17
City 2017/18 Individual Honours
Pep Guardiola - LMA Manager of the Year
Pep Guardiola - Premier League Manager of the Season
Leroy Sane - PFA Young Player of the Year
Kevin DeBruyne - Premier League Playmaker of the Year
