Manchester City clinch Premier League title after comeback win over Brighton

Manchester City overcame an early fright to roar past Brighton and wrap up the Premier League title.Pep Guardiolas side recovered from going behind to a Glenn Murray header to run out 4-1 winners and pip Liverpool to the crown.Any title jitters were eased within 83 seconds of Murrays 27th-minute opener as Sergio Aguero, scorer of the dramatic clincher in 2012, reprised that famous strike with an instant equaliser.Further goals from Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan then started the party in the away end as Liverpool were forced to settle for a valiant second.Back 2 Back Premier League Champions! We reigned and we retained! #mancity pic.twitter.com/stX3wPtV4P Manchester City (@ManCity) May 12, 2019It was a remarkable title race which lasted until the final day, yet was oddly bereft of twists and turns as City and Liverpool relentlessly racked up win after win after win.As it turned out Liverpool won their last nine but Citys 14-match winning streak, a record end to a top-flight season, ensured the Reds wait for the title will tick into a 30th year.Over nine months and 38 games each, the two juggernauts clocked up 195 points between them as they disappeared over the horizon.WWWWWWWWWWWWWWinners! 14 wins in a row to wrap up and incredible season! #mancity pic.twitter.com/ONrqLSGrOe Manchester City (@ManCity) May 12, 2019Liverpools final total of 97 would have seen them take the title at a canter in every other Premier League season, barring the last.Yet they still could not catch this incredible City side.The football gods have had a busy week, and they took Sunday off.Liverpool, it seems, had used up their quota of miracles against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals.Brighton, safe from relegation as of last week but in dismal form, always looked like being compliant opponents for City.Yet an early snap-shot from Alireza Jahanbakhsh, which fizzed narrowly wide, had Guardiola down on his haunches, as if the Spaniard sensed all was not entirely as it should be.Guardiola was given an early scare when Brighton took the lead only for his side to stage a comeback and clinch an easy 4-1 win with ease. (Nick Potts/PA)Word then arrived, via Brightons fans, that Liverpool were ahead against Wolves at Anfield when Murray stunned the visitors, heading in at the near post from a Pascal Gross corner.The lead lasted less than a minute and a half, though.David Silva slipped the ball through to Aguero, who was being played onside by Lewis Dunk.The Argentinian duly obliged with his 32nd goal of the season in all competitions, blasting the ball through the legs of Maty Ryan.Aguero scored Manchester Citys first goal in a 4-1 win over Brighton for three points to secure back-to-back Premier League titles. (Nick Potts/PA)At this stage Liverpool still sat on top of the as it stands table, but not for long.After Brighton keeper Ryan saved from Mahrez at his near post, Murray left Laporte all alone at the corner to nod home.The jeopardy, all 10 or so minutes of it, was fun while it lasted. Yet all the time there was one goal in it Brighton had a punchers chance, and Liverpool still had some hope.That hope was extinguished when Mahrez, who was not having the best of games, popped up on the edge of the area, effortlessly slipped past the sliding Dunk and slammed the ball home.Gundogan sent a brilliant free-kick nestling into the top corner to seal the deal in the 72nd minute.STUN GUN 1-4 #BHAMCI #mancity pic.twitter.com/UB1Qqt1dBl Manchester City (@ManCity) May 12, 2019It was ultimately a seaside stroll, and the routine coronation Liverpool feared.But Citys triumph will be defined not by swatting aside Brighton, but by Vincent Kompanys winner against Leicester, or Kyle Walkers stunner against Newcastle, or inflicting Liverpools only league defeat of the season with the help of a gap on the goal-line of1.12 centimetres.In claiming the clubs sixth title, and a fourth in the last eight seasons, Guardiolas side also became the first to retain the Premier League trophy since Manchester United 10 years ago.Today is gonna be the day! #mancity pic.twitter.com/op9LE0kki0 Manchester City (@ManCity) May 12, 2019A 32nd win of the season also equalled the top-flight record, set by City last season.Now only Watford, in next weekends FA Cup final, stand in the way of an unprecedented domestic treble for this incredible side.(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
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