When Manchester City lifted the Premier League trophy yesterday afternoon, the Citizens finished the season on an impressive 98 points, just one point ahead of Liverpool.
On the face of it, the title race was a nail-biting encounter that went to the last day of the season, decided by the smallest of margins between two excellent teams.
But in truth, the Liverpool-Manchester City title battle was not as epic as it first seems. Instead, fuelled by an uneven Premier League that allowed both clubs to steamroll the opposition, there were disappointingly few twists and turns in the race.
Thanks to the television producers, Liverpool tended to play before Manchester City each weekend, adding another element: the top spot flipping between two teams. In reality, City were ahead and kept winning, asserting their grip on the championship.
If the Citizens had played first each weekend, the storyline would have been the far less exciting tale of the Reds relentlessly chasing but always falling one point short.
The dominance of both sides, while laudable, became almost predictable towards the end of the campaign. Liverpool won their last nine matches and were flawless from early March onwards, with their only loss coming in January to City.
Not to be outdone, Pep Guardiola’s side won their last 14 matches of the season, with a 100% record stretching back to early February.
With all the winning week-in, week-out, the title race was absent of slip-ups, twists and turns, and dramatic losses. The incredible skill of both sides is beyond question, but for the neutral, this season’s title race left much to be desired.
