Pep Guardiola’s seen some things, man, but what happened Sunday at the Etihad Stadium to seal his fourth Premier League crown in five seasons was something special.
City trailed 2-0 to Aston Villa and was on pace to lose the league they’d led for so many match weeks when super-sub Ilkay Gundogan scored twice as part of a three-goal five-minute run.
[ MORE: Live analysis from the Etihad Stadium ]
Villa would not answer and time will tell whether this incredible finish will live in the same air as Sergio Aguero’s spell-binding winner against Queens Park Rangers over a decade ago.
3-2 win. Season over. Title in the bank. Again. Wow.
So what did Pep Guardiola see in the win? Read on...
Pep: Sealing titles is like serving to win Wimbledon
“This game is the most difficult to win,” Guardiola said. “This game is the most difficult to close, 10 months is so difficult. It’s like the service to win Wimbledon is the most difficult one. We got the first, were fortunate and lucky to win the second one so quick, and after when we saw the time still to play we had momentum and we got it.
“All the team did it, as always. Otherwise you cannot achieve what we have done in the last five or six seasons. Four Premier Leagues - these guys are legends already, people have to admit it. This group of players are absolutely eternal in this club because what we achieved is so difficult to do.
“Just Sir Alex Ferguson with United has done it years ago two or three times - now again I realise the magnitude of Sir Alex Ferguson and his United doing this - and we are part of that. In one year, we will defend our crown.”
Now what did Kevin De Bruyne think? The Premier League’s Player of the Season set up Gundogan’s winner and had this to say after the game.
KDB: Fourth PL title is the best one yet
“I just said to Fernandinho inside that my head is scrambled,” he said. “It’s one of these games. It’s nervous. They scored on 2-3 chances and after that it’s all-out attack. Zinchenko and Ilkay made the difference. I think this is by far the best of the four.”
Was he worried after Villa took charge that City would throw away the title?
“There’s a little bit of doubt but then after that it’s all or nothing. It makes it even better.”