Pep Guardiola identified the decisive moment that led to Arsenal’s Premier League title slip-up, as his Manchester City team triumphed on the season’s final day.
Manchester City clinched their fourth consecutive Premier League title on Sunday, with Phil Foden’s first-half double propelling them to a 3-1 victory against West Ham during an afternoon devoid of high drama.
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City’s win made Arsenal’s 2-1 victory against Everton a moot point, with City ending the season with a two-point advantage over their adversaries.
The season concluded with a tight contest, with both Arsenal and Liverpool posing serious threats to City’s quest for an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.
Yet, critical point losses by both contenders during the final stages of the season allowed Guardiola’s squad to regain and maintain control.
‘We started really well and after we dropped in terms of points, I would say,’ the Spaniard reflected after the final day.
‘The lowest point was the Aston Villa away game but the games here against Liverpool, Tottenham, Crystal Palace we dropped six points, we were unbelievable the way we played.
‘But if you say the turning point was that weekend – Liverpool lost at home against Crystal Palace and Arsenal against Aston Villa at home.
‘In that moment I felt, “Okay, they have given us a chance, they will not give us another chance”. We took it.’
Reflecting further on his team’s achievement, Guardiola was full of praise for his side’s mentality, especially in bouncing back from the chastening defeat to Aston Villa midway through the campaign.
‘I’m really, really pleased for the way we competed all season in all competitions, even the Champions League, we didn’t lose one game in the Champions League,’ he added.
‘I like the way we lose games because it happens, the exception is Aston Villa, they were better and it can happen during seasons over many years, but rarely when we lose, we are not who we are, and that makes me feel so proud, stable and good.
‘After that the mentality at the club, we’ve been in all departments, every single game has been an important one and we’ve still been able to do it.’
