Manchester City lifted the Premier League trophy on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Tottenham with a goal from Erling Haaland.
Haaland’s 51st-minute goal and stoppage-time penalty – which came just after substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega made a fine save from Son Heung-min – ensured that Haaland’s 51st-minute goal and stoppage-time penalty – which came just after substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega had made a fine save from Son Heung-min – ensured that Haaland’s 51st-minute goal and stoppage-time penalty, which came just after substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega had made a fine save from Son Heung-min, ensured that Haaland’s 51st-minute goal and stoppage-time penalty, which came just after substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega made a fine save from Son Heung-min, ensured that Haaland’s 51st-minute goal and stoppage-time penalty, which came just after a brilliant save from Son Heung-min by stand-in goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, resulted in a 2-0 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of Sunday’s final game against West Ham. City are back in first place.
Title rivals Arsenal are two points behind City on goal difference with 86 points, with Josep Guardiola’s side needing to drop points if they are to seal their title destiny this weekend.
Arsenal defeated Manchester United on matchday 37 and hosted Everton at the Emirates Stadium on the final day.
City got off to an underdog start with a tense title decider in north London. Brennan Johnson’s low cross allowed Rodrigo Bentancur to fire home his first shot early on, after Ederson fell to rescue the sleepwalking back four.
Victory was all that was needed if City wanted to get back to the top ahead of the final day, and Phil Foden understood the task when he almost gave his side the lead.
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The England international capitalized on the gift of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s slice-clear, giving him a chance to volley, but Guglielmo Vicario spread out to deny him from inside the area.
Guardiola was even more animated than usual on the touchline as his team struggled to assert themselves.
Ruben Dias was sloppy in possession on several occasions, Kevin De Bruyne was marked and taken out of the game, and Josko Gvardiol’s wayward try in the 39th minute gave them a chance since Foden’s best chance. That was all I had gathered.
However, De Bruyne had a great reaction after the break. He forced Vicario into another save and the Belgium international helped build up City’s 51st-minute lead.
The midfielder overlapped into a pocket of space and picked out Haaland from inside the six-yard area, allowing for a simple tap-in.
The goal damaged Spurs’ rivals’ chances of winning the title for the first time since 2004 and was greeted with cheers and chants of “Are you watching Arsenal” from the home section.
Ederson suffered a blow to the head in a collision with Cristian Romero and was immediately replaced by Ortega. The Brazilian, like Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur before him, reacted angrily on the touchline after being sent off.
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It didn’t take long for City’s second-choice keeper to be called upon as Spurs increased the pressure.
Dejan Kulusevski benefited from a lucky rebound from Manuel Akanji and the winger’s hard shot was stopped by Ortega, who managed to close his legs and keep his team in front and in the lead.
Ortega’s heroics continued until the 86th minute, when Akanji had possession but lost the ball, allowing Son a one-on-one. The German keeper stood strong and with firm footing denied the Spurs captain.
Substitute Jeremy Doku broke it down on the counter and won a penalty from Romero. Haaland was the decisive striker, with the Premier League’s top scorer firing into the top left corner to seal a 2-0 victory.
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