The first phase of Manchester City’s three-pronged trophy pursuit could be secured before Pep Guardiola’s team even takes the field against Chelsea on Sunday.
A fifth English Premier League title in six seasons will be
confirmed on Saturday if second-placed Arsenal loses at Nottingham Forest.
Not that Guardiola wants to be crowned champion in those
circumstances.
“If we can win (Sunday) and celebrate in the stadium with
our people, that will be the best celebration,” he said on Friday.
In his position, he can afford to be choosy about how he
wants the title party to go.
City’s dominance of the league was under serious threat from
an Arsenal team that led the table for much of the campaign and held an
eight-point advantage over the defending champion at the start of April.
But a combination of the Gunners’ late-season swoon and
City’s run of 11 straight wins has all but ensured the title will remain at
Etihad Stadium for a third year in a row.
“In the Premier League,” Guardiola said, “it’s a question of
not being far away from the top of the league; don’t give up, never ever; and
wait.”
He openly questioned if his players had lost their edge this
season after winning four leagues in his seven years at the club. He described
the players as “happy flowers” and warned that Arsenal would “destroy” them if
they didn’t improve.
No one is questioning City now, with the team three games
away from the treble of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
Thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 in the Champions League semifinals
on Wednesday underlined City’s devastating form and mood.
Only the most unlikely of slumps would see it surrender the
Premier League title, but Guardiola said he would leave nothing to chance
against a Chelsea with fragile confidence.
“The last one (match) is the most difficult one because
there are a lot of emotions and many things,” he added. “We cannot be
distracted right now. We will not forgive ourselves if we are distracted in
something.”
Chelsea has endured one of its worst seasons in recent
memory despite spending around $630 million on new players.
In a chaotic first year under new owners Todd Boehly and
Clearlake Capital, the London club has fired two managers in a bid to turn its
fortunes and will not qualify for European competition next season.
Interim manager Frank Lampard said he tried to sign City
striker Erling Haaland when he was first in charge at Stamford Bridge from
2019-21.
“I was really keen to get him here but obviously that
couldn’t happen,” Lampard said on Friday. “He’s special. I thought he’d adapt
straight away just (because of) his level.
“Whether he would have come I don’t know, but I was pushing
big, and for a couple of other players as well. But he was the outstanding
one.”
Lampard has two more games left of his interim spell, with
Mauricio Pochettino widely expected to be hired as Chelsea’s next permanent
manager.
Lampard’s return to the club where he was an icon as a
player, has not gone well. He has won only one of his eight games in charge and
lost six.
“You want to always get results, but you have to be
realistic in football,” Lampard said. “Generally, there’s a lot of work to do
here. I can have a certain impact with certain individuals within the group
because I have a big feeling for the club.”
After running City so close for so long, Arsenal’s only hope
is to prolong the title race by beating relegation-threatened Forest.
Mikel Arteta’s side has exceeded expectations by challenging
for the title, but two wins from its last seven league games has effectively
handed the title to City.
The Arsenal manager, however, was in defiant mood on Friday.
“We’re still there,” he said. “With two games to go we can
still be champions against probably the best team in Premier League history.
“For 10 months we’re still there. There’s two games still to
go and we’re not going to bottle that for sure.” -AP
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