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Manchester City crowned champions after effortless win over West Ham Manchester City crowned champions after effortless win over West Ham
(about 4 hours later)
This time, they spared the emotions of their supporters. There was no late drama. No bedlam. For once, Manchester City resisted any temptation to make life unnecessarily hard for themselves. Instead, they just rolled up their sleeves and set about finishing off their work. They are the champions of England and they did it in a way that made the old City, the club where once they said it should have a Government health warning, feel like a fading memory. This time, they spared the emotions of their supporters. There was no late drama. No bedlam. For once, Manchester City resisted any temptation to make life unnecessarily hard for themselves. Instead, they just rolled up their sleeves and set about finishing off their work. They are the champions of England and they did it in a way that made it feel like the old City, the club they once said should carry a government health warning, were a fading memory.
By the time it was all done, Manuel Pellegrini's team had clocked up 102 goals and it was probably just a surprise they did not manage to get one more to equal Chelsea's 2010 record from the Premier League era. Sergio Agüero is probably thinking the same after the sitter he passed up from one of Pablo Zabaleta's overlapping runs. By the time it was all done, Manuel Pellegrini's team had clocked up 102 goals for the season and it was probably a surprise they had not managed to catch, or overhaul, Chelsea's record of 103 from four years ago. Sergio Agüero is probably thinking the same after one of Pablo Zabaleta's overlapping runs had presented him with the kind of chance he would normally score blindfolded.
No matter. The final goal of the afternoon, courtesy of Vincent Kompany, could not generate the moshpit that Agüero set in motion on the final day two seasons ago but, for once, City's crowd will probably appreciate a party with a chill-out zone. No matter. Vincent Kompany's goal four minutes into the second half could not generate the mosh pit that Agüero set in motion on the final day two seasons ago but, for once, City's crowd might actually appreciate a party with a chill-out zone. West Ham were generous opponents and, for City, the only real problem was persuading their supporters to leave the pitch so the presentation could begin. "We want to see the trophy," the public announcer reminded everyone, with a crackle of irritation in his voice.
They were ahead, six minutes before the interval, when Samir Nasri picked out the bottom corner from 25 yards but the crowd's nerves had already been soothed by that stage because of the news of Martin Skrtel's own goal at Anfield. Eventually, it was brought on by three of the players – Ashley Brown, Joel Labotierre and Egan Riley – from City's trophy-winning sides at under-18, under-14 and under-11 level.
The positions had not changed when Kompany made it 2-0 four minutes into the second half and, ultimately, Liverpool's second-half recovery was immaterial. By that stage, nobody at the Etihad was concerning themselves too much with what was going on the other end of the M62. Greg Dyke, the FA chairman, had said it would be "pretty depressing" for a team to win the league with only a scattering of homegrown English players. This was not a direct riposte from City (it had been planned 10 days ago). But it was still a way of making a point. What a moment for Kompany, too, bearing in mind it was his error at Anfield a month ago that had threatened to extinguish City's chances of glory.
'Nobody remembers who comes second,' read one of the banners. And City – calm, professional, slick, and showing a level of know-how that was once beyond them – made absolutely certain this wild, oscillating title race had had its final twist. A lesser side might have crumpled, particularly after the clumpy 2-2 draw against Sunderland that left them six points behind the following Wednesday, with only one game in hand. City have made it a victory for resilience. Their song tells us they "fight to the end." The mosaic said: "Together." Among the banners, there was the message: "Nobody remembers who comes second." And City – calm, professional, slick, assured – made absolutely certain the title race had experienced its final twist.
West Ham were generous opponents in what could conceivably be Sam Allardyce's last game in charge. They defended stoutly for the opening half an hour but it has never been the structure and organisation of Allardyce's team that dismays their supporters. It is the absence of real creativity and, if this is the farewell, the lingering image will be of the chance that came to Andy Carroll from Stewart Downing's cross in the second half. The first touch sent it out for a corner and Carroll was substituted a few minutes later. Pellegrini, his medal still round his neck, made sure afterwards to mention the work of his predecessor, Roberto Mancini, but there was another moment later on, analysing a "beautiful great season," when he offered a rare glimpse into some of the issues he inherited.
At that stage, the victory songs had already started and the Etihad was in the process of its third Poznan of the afternoon. For Yaya Touré, the celebrations were tarnished by a hamstring injury that forced him off before the end and, briefly, Agüero's barge on Mark Noble led to a confrontation between the two sets of players that was completely out of keeping with the rest of the afternoon. Yet by the end the biggest problem for City was getting their supporters off the pitch so they could start the presentation. "We want to see the trophy," the public announcer reminded everyone. "Maybe the relations were not the best," he said. "It was very important to have calm, to try to convince them how we can play, and how important it was to be close, all of us."
Nasri had set it up with the accuracy of his finish before the interval, taking advantage of the way Kevin Nolan and Matt Taylor did not close him down to rifle in a diagonal shot from 25 yards. Adrián, the West Ham goalkeeper, got a glove to the ball but it went in off the post and a happy air of inevitability descended. On the pitch, Kompany could be seen coaxing some of the fringe players to the presentation stage. Joleon Lescott had set up a photograph of the English players and Joe Hart was singing: "We are the quota." Yet there is a great sense of unity among a cosmopolitan squad. As Pellegrini said, there are no factions, no cliques, no disruptions.
Kompany's goal came after a lucky ricochet off Nolan from a corner, leaving him with the ball inside the six-yard area, and what a moment it was for City's captain bearing in mind it was his mistake at Anfield last month that had threatened to extinguish his team's chances of glory. Just consider the number of controversies that have accompanied this success (practically zero). Super City have Gone Holistic, to borrow the buzzword they introduced after Pellegrini had replaced Mancini.
They were ahead, five minutes before the interval, when Samir Nasri took a short pass from Yaya Touré and, with nobody closing him down, let fly from 25 yards. Adrián, the West Ham goalkeeper, got his glove to the shot but it was a weak attempt to keep it out.
The ball thudded in off the right-hand post and the Etihad was enveloped in the state of euphoria that culminated in Pellegrini, this man of quiet, measured dignity, getting the bumps from the victorious players. For a few moments, there were even a couple of hairs out of place.
The crowd's nerves had already been soothed because of the news filtering through from Anfield of Martin Skrtel's own goal and Kompany's close-range finish shooed away any lingering doubts. Edin Dzeko applied the first touch and the ball brushed off Nolan to fall invitingly for Kompany, inside the six-yard area. The crowd were on their third Poznan by the time the final whistle turned the pitch into a writhing mass of bodies.
West Ham had plodded through what could conceivably be Sam Allardyce's last game in charge. They defended stoutly for the opening half an hour but it has never been the structure and organisation of Allardyce's team that is in doubt. It is the absence of any real spark or creativity and, if this was the farewell, it petered out unsatisfactorily. They did not manage a single effort on target from their three shots and there was a note of tragicomedy attached to the chance that fell to Andy Carroll midway through the second half.
From West Ham's only real opening, Carroll attempted to bring down Stewart Downing's cross and his first touch sent it out for a corner. He was substituted a few minutes later.
Touré's celebrations were slightly tarnished by the hamstring injury that had forced him out of the game early but before then he had demonstrated again he was a worthy rival to Luis Suárez for the season's individual awards. Martín Demichelis deserves more acclaim than he has actually received for the way he has justified Pellegrini's faith and when the manager was asked about Nasri potentially missing out on France's World Cup squad it was rare to hear him so opinionated. "I can't believe Samir Nasri will not be going," was his verdict. "It will be an important mistake."
More than anything, there was the sense that if City play a wise hand then the Pellegrini era, unlike Mancini's, can sustain success. "Big teams cannot be satisfied with one title," Pellegrini continued. "On Tuesday we start working for the next season."
A meeting has been arranged in Abu Dhabi with Sheikh Mansour. It is just a pity City's owner does not make an appearance in Manchester. He would enjoy what he sees.