The manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola has described himself and his team as legends after surviving a great scare to win the Premier League title.
Note that on Sunday, May 22, Aston Villa visited the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City on the last day of the Premier League campaign. Surprisingly, Villa scored two goals to take the lead during a period City’s closest rivals, Liverpool were battling it out with Wolves.
Fortunately for City, they scored three goals to beat Aston Villa 3-2 to win the Premier League title with a point ahead of second-placed Liverpool that beat Wolves 3-1 at Anfield.
City’s win over Aston Villa made Liverpool’s win over Wolves inconsequential since the Premier League table ended exactly the way it was before the last matchday except that Manchester City won the league with 93 points and Liverpool finished second with 92 points.
As it stands, Pep Guardiola who became the coach of Manchester City in 2016 has now won four Premier League titles for the club in six years which is an unprecedented feat in the highly competitive league.
The 4th title almost slipped off Pep Guardiola’s hands but two goals from Ilkay Gundogan and a goal from Rodri were all the Spanish tactician needed to retain the title he won last season.
You know you want to watch it again…😉
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 22, 2022
Watch the match highlights and our @premierleague trophy lift! 🎥 pic.twitter.com/FBa7kUVJk1
After the tension-filled last match of the season, Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports that, “the moment we found a goal it changed everything”.
“We are playing in not normal circumstances but you have to handle it”, Guardiola added.
“Gundogan is the best inside runner we have. We were arriving down the sides and we needed a player with the sense of tempo in the box and he’s the best.
“We are legends. When you win the Premier League four times in five seasons it’s because these guys are so, so special. We will be remembered. The first title we won with lots of margins, then at Brighton, winning at home without fans and now with people, it’s the best.
“The magnitude of your achievement is defined by the magnitude of your rival. I’ve never seen a team like Liverpool. I know it’s tough but a huge congratulations to them. They help us to be a better team.
“Today is special as it’s the fifth anniversary of the Manchester arena attack when 22 people were killed. This is for the families. Today was special.”
Pep Guardiola insists Liverpool are not losers
Just like in the 2018-2019 season Liverpool chased Manchester City until the last day of the Premier League campaign before they lost the title by a point difference, Jurgen Klopp put up a similar fight in the 2021-2022 season.
Liverpool had done the needful and needed Manchester City to lose to Aston Villa to overtake City and win the 2021-2022 season but City showed their winners mentality and ended up beating Villa 3-2 to retain the league title.
After the triumph, coach Pep Guardiola stressed that Liverpool were not losers even though they could not overtake City, describing himself as a trier.
“Jurgen Klopp said a few days ago that there are few winners but a lot of triers”, Guardiola said after winning his 4th Premier League title at Manchester City. “I love this concept. I am a good trier, that is for sure. Am I going to say that Liverpool is a loser after what they have done in the Premier League over the recent years?
“One team was a little, little, little, one inch better than them, but they are winners. Of course, society says there is just one who is first and the rest are a disaster. That is giving an incredibly wrong message to the new generation, the kids.
“You have to be a good trier, do it every time, never give up. Both teams – Liverpool and ourselves – have done that in the last five years.
“Before you had to get 82 or 83 points, now you have to get 90, in this league, this country, with these teams against these managers and these players. It is quite remarkable.
“It is more difficult because of the opponent. How big is your rival? How big it is, your victory is higher. Nobody in this country can doubt that.
“Liverpool won the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup on penalties, it is the same. Chelsea are the losers? No, they are not. They are not. But we just praise the other one.
“The team is incredibly proud but we could have lost the Premier League today. We were closer to losing it than winning it. But my opinion of my players is exactly the same as it was in Madrid. The same.”
"The players are absolutely eternal in this club, because what we achieved it's so difficult to do it."
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 23, 2022
Pep Guardiola says the Manchester City players are legends for winning four Premier League titles in five years 🏆pic.twitter.com/zlQmk9pe1W
