'We are legends... we'll be remembered!': Pep Guardiola revels in final day glory after claiming a fourth Premier League title in five years with Manchester City... before joking 'next season you will see how much of a genius I am'

  • Manchester City won their fourth league title in the last five seasons on Sunday
  • Pep Guardiola thinks his team have written themselves into the history books 
  • Guardiola changed the game by bringing on Ilkay Gundogan against Wolves
  • Gundogan's late brace helped City secure a dramatic late comeback on the day 
  • Guardiola feels more substitutions next term will allow him to prove his class

Pep Guardiola hailed his Manchester City side as legends as they were crowned Premier League champions yesterday after staging an extraordinary comeback during a dramatic climax to the season.

City were two goals down against Aston Villa with 14 minutes of the campaign remaining before scoring three times in five minutes to spark wild scenes at the Etihad Stadium.

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Liverpool, who eventually beat Wolves 3-1 at Anfield, had been one goal away from snatching the title in the final stages before their Quadruple dreams ultimately ended, finishing one point behind City.

Pep Guardiola was ecstatic after leading Manchester City to another Premier League title

Ilkay Gundogan was the hero, netting a brace either side of Rodri’s equaliser after coming off the bench when they toiled. The scenes turning from despair to jubilation around the Etihad resembled those of 10 years ago when Sergio Aguero etched his name into club legend.

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Guardiola, who was reduced to tears, became only the third manager in history to win four top-flight titles in five seasons, following in the footsteps of Bob Paisley and Sir Alex Ferguson.

‘We are legends,’ Guardiola said. ‘We will be remembered. These guys are legends. People have to admit it. These players are eternal in this club.

‘We realise that four in five years is probably the best achievement we’ve done in our careers. To win in this country, four times in five years, it’s because these guys are so, so special. Wow, winning at home with our people. It’s the best.

‘I have never seen a team like Liverpool in my life. They have helped us to be a better team, season by season. Today is special, because it’s the fifth anniversary of the Manchester bombing, we dedicate it to the 22 people who were killed.’

Guardiola admitted that he felt nerves within his squad during the week as the final day approached. City, however, discovered serious momentum once they got one goal back and their manager praised the club’s support for a feverish atmosphere that began outside the ground two hours before kick-off.

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City have now won the Premier League in four of the last five seasons under Guardiola

‘It was the best since I was here,’ he added. ‘Today was so special, hopefully tomorrow we celebrate with cigars and beer on the parade. I’ll bring my cigars don’t worry.

‘We talk about big data a lot — numbers, numbers. Where was that today? It’s completely different to the other games. It’s like the serve to win Wimbledon — the most difficult one. We were fortunate and lucky. I’m not saying the Premier League is better than the Champions League but the league is honest, it doesn’t lie. There are 38 games, home and away, with many problems.

‘This is the most exciting title for the fact how it was done. We felt the pressure. The players trained incredibly well but we smelt the pressure. We knew Liverpool would win against Wolves and Villa have a lot of weapons.’

Ilkay Gundogan (C) made a huge impact off the bench by scoring twice in the second half

Guardiola said: ‘I want to congratulate Liverpool for this incredible battle. The magnitude of our achievement relates to the magnitude of our rival. This makes me more proud about these players.

‘Jurgen Klopp said a few days ago about the winners — there are few winners but a lot of triers. I love this concept. I am a trier. Can I say Liverpool are losers? We were only one inch better than them. They are winners.’

Fernandinho lifted the trophy on his final appearance before heading back to Brazil on a free transfer. Teenage fan Ben Mason, who lost his 14-year-old sister Kezia to suicide in March and has raised £100,000 for various mental health charities, presented Fernandinho with the silverware.

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Guardiola joked that he will get the chance to make more key substitutions next season

Fernandinho said: ‘To finish my nine years at City by winning my fifth Premier League title is a dream come true.’

At Anfield, Klopp urged his Liverpool players to channel their disappointment of missing out on the title into beating Real Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday. The Reds can add a seventh European Cup to the Carabao Cup and FA Cup wins in Paris.

‘This season is incredible and it doesn’t end here, it ends next week,’ said Klopp. ‘We will have five days to prepare the final and that’s what we will do. Then we face an incredibly experienced team but that’s really okay.

‘Of course, losing the league increases the desire to put it right next week.’

At the other end of the table, Leeds extended their Premier League stay with a 2-1 win at 10-man Brentford, condemning Burnley — who lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle — to the drop after six years in the top flight.

Leeds manager Jesse Marsch, who lay flat on his back in celebration when Jack Harrison struck a late winning goal, said he had always believed his team would stay up after taking over from Marcelo Bielsa in February.

‘There wasn’t one day I didn’t believe and that’s why I never talked about being in the Championship,’ said Marsch. ‘Everything we’ve been through has made us stronger, not weaker.

Burnley interim manager Mike Jackson took 11 points from his seven games in charge after taking over from Sean Dyche, but it all ended in heartbreak. ‘I’m suffering,’ he said. ‘This is something I’m going to have to live with that won’t go away.’

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Tottenham thrashed relegated Norwich 5-0 to seal a return to the Champions League, pipping local rivals Arsenal, who beat Everton 5-1.

 

Additional reporting: 

Dominic King, Craig Hope and Chris Wheeler