Another season, and yet another Manchester City Premier League title. Was it ever in doubt?
Sure, Arsenal gave them a good run for their money, something which City have in abundance, but the class of Pep Guardiola’s men told in the end as they wrapped up the title with a couple of games to spare.
It was a party atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday with City already confirmed as champions ahead of their clash against Chelsea.
And the game was played like all parties should go – very pleasantly as a much-changed City side coasted their way to a 1-0 win against a Blues side who have had to settle for hellish mediocrity this term.
The main event of the afternoon soon followed, a little bit after a minority of fans, including Jack Grealish’s doppelganger, decided invading the pitch was a clever thing to do.
A mighty roar rang around the ground as Ilkay Gundogan hoisted the trophy high in the air and all the usual tunes (We are the Champions, Wonderwall et al) played across the stadium’s PA system.
This is a first for players including Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips, but it felt equally special to players like John Stones and Kyle Walker, who have now won it five times. Aymeric Laporte, also a five-time Premier League winner, cut an emotional figure post-match too.
There were jubilant scenes in the dressing room and on the pitch -Haaland dancing with fans and swearing live on TV while even Pep Guardiola, who can perhaps come across as uptight when in football mode, busting a move on the pitch.
All the players and Guardiola took pictures with their loved ones as well but you get the sense that once the final piece of confetti hit the ground it was party over in the City camp.
This time last year Jack Grealish was packing his bags for an Ibiza trip with Wayne Lineker, offering to buy City fans Jaegar Bombs and making some not particularly nice comments about Miguel Almiron’s playing ability.
But he couldn’t have been more different this time round as City’s party boy even ducked the champagne when a member of the club’s coaching staff tried to spray him with some.
Okay, there’s still some football to be played this season with City rounding off their league campaign at Brentford next Sunday.
But the short and muted celebrations are surely a reflection of where their season is currently at. They’ve got an FA Cup final date with local rivals Manchester United to think about on Saturday June 3 to think about.
And Guardiola’s comments less than an hour after he and his players lifted the trophy that he says means the most that everyone connected with the club have their eyes on leaving a lasting legacy.
“We have to win in Europe to be considered… to be remembered,” Guardiola told Sky Sports.
“I don’t have the feeling, ‘just in case we’re not able to win it.’ The Premier League makes sense too.
“As a club you get to another level, that’s for sure. We have to admit it, we have to win the Champions League to be considered one of the best teams like Roy Keane at Manchester United, or Liverpool.
“But also it isn’t fair to say if you don’t win it that winning the Premier League five times in a row doesn’t make sense, of course it’s important.
“This club has won five in the last six, six in the last ten and seven in the last 12. In 12 years we’ve won seven times which is amazing.
“To be considered one real team we have to win the Champions League. I’m sorry but we have to admit it.”
Beating Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10 will be a first Champions League triumph in City’s history. The party can well and truly begin then.