Man City beat West Ham on the final day to clinch the 2023/24 Premier League title. The Cityzens finished two points ahead of rivals Arsenal. The Hammers threatened a comeback, but Phil Foden’s brace proved decisive.
Manchester City claimed the 2023/24 Premier League title on Sunday after defeating West Ham United 3-1.
The reigning champions showed no signs of nerves early on as Phil Foden’s two goals fired them into a strong position within 20 minutes. Mohammed Kudus scored an impressive overhead kick to make things interesting before Rodri restored the two-goal cushion in the second half.
City’s midweek win at Tottenham Hotspur put them in the driving seat heading into Gameweek 38, leapfrogging Arsenal into first place. The Gunners went behind at home when Everton’s Idrissa Gana Gueye struck, but Takehiro Tomiyasu equalized and Kai Havertz then struck an 89th-minute winner.
However, it was not enough to surpass City at the top.
It is City’s tenth English title and their eighth in the Premier League, also becoming the first team to win the division four times in a row. They have now finished top of the pile in six of the last seven seasons.
The 2022/23 treble winners started their title defense strong, winning their first six matches before suffering a defeat away at Wolves in late September. They also lost key playmaker Kevin De Bruyne on the opening weekend, with the Belgian not returning to action until early January.
A late defeat to Arsenal before the October international break knocked City off top spot, and they even fell behind Aston Villa as the Gunners and Liverpool enjoyed spells in first place.
A four-game winless run from November to December that included a loss at Villa Park seemed to have handed the title initiative to their rivals, but City have not tasted defeat since. De Bruyne’s return to fitness helped them rediscover their ruthless streak, drawing only four more matches while winning the rest.
Due to their involvement in other competitions, City have been a game behind Arsenal for much of the campaign. However, that added pressure had no effect on the champions, who won nine games straight during the run-in to claim the title.
Despite facing criticism in his second season at the Etihad Stadium, Erling Haaland has been crucial with 27 league goals, while teammate Phil Foden has collected individual awards thanks to his stellar campaign.
De Bruyne still managed a double-digit haul in assists despite his injury woes, while signings from last summer Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, and Jeremy Doku have all made positive impressions alongside the more subdued Matheus Nunes.
