Manchester City staged a stunning late comeback with three goals in five minutes to beat Aston Villa 3-2 and win the Premier League as their title chances looked to be slipping away amid dramatic scenes at Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side needed victory to secure their fourth football title in five seasons but were facing the prospect of ending the season empty-handed as goals either side of the interval from Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho put Villa 2-0 ahead and in control.
It looked as if Villa manager Steven Gerrard might help his former club Liverpool secure the title – until City turned the game on its head in an atmosphere bordering on hysteria.
Ilkay Gundogan, on as a substitute for Bernardo Silva, gave City hope with a far-post header in the 76th minute, and Etihad Stadium was a wall of noise when Rodri drove a low finish past Villa keeper Robin Olsen two minutes later.
The title-winning recovery was complete with nine minutes left as Gundogan once again arrived at the far post to put City in front, the decisive contribution on this nerve-shredding final day.
City did need those three points as Liverpool beat Wolverhampton Wanderers – with City boss Guardiola overcome with emotion and breaking down in tears at the final whistle.
Tottenham back in Champions League
Tottenham secured Champions League qualification, denying north London rivals Arsenal in the process, with an emphatic 5-0 victory over already-relegated Norwich at Carrow Road.
Spurs needed just a draw to seal a top-four finish, but ensured victory in stress-free fashion after first-half goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Harry Kane quickly dispelled any pre-match nerves among the travelling supporters.
Kulusevski added their third with a brilliant left-footed strike on 64 minutes before Son scored twice to give him a share of the Golden Boot, putting him level with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah on 23 goals apiece.
Spurs finished two points clear of Arsenal, whose 5-1 victory over Everton ultimately proved inconsequential for European qualification.
Tottenham’s return to the Champions League comes after a two-year absence, having participated in the Europa League and Europa Conference League in recent seasons.
Their qualification, helped by a 3-0 win in the north London derby on May 12, will go down as a good ending to a turbulent season in which Antonio Conte was appointed boss following Nuno Espirito Santo’s miserable four-month reign.
Conte’s side confirmed their return to Europe’s top club competition with minimum fuss as they swept aside a Norwich team already preparing for another season in the Championship. (BBC)
