Manchester City win fifth Premier League in six seasons after Arsenal falter

Manchester City have won the Premier League for the third year in a row and fifth time in six seasons.

Arsenal’s defeat to Nottingham Forest ensured that Pep Guardiola’s side have retained their Premier League crown with three games to spare.

City have been on an unstoppable run of form since early February as they overhauled challengers Arsenal to surge to the title.

City trailed Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal by eight points in mid-January but defeated the Gunners twice over the second half of the campaign, including a crushing 4-1 win at the Etihad last month.

While Arsenal suffered a dip in form as the title race intensified, City have won 13 of their last 14 Premier League matches during the run-in to wrap up the Premier League in typically dominant fashion.

The signing of striker Erling Haaland has seen City reach another level this year, with the Norwegian hitting an astonishing 36 goals in 33 games to smash the Premier League’s single-season scoring record.

Guardiola’s side could yet win the treble this season and face Manchester United in the FA Cup final on 3 June before taking on Inter in the Champions League final the following week.

City’s season has not been without controversy, however. In February, City were charged by the Premier League with over 100 breaches of their financial rules over a nine-year period, from 2009 to 2018.

The club have been referred to an independent commission, which will determine whether they have breached the Premier League’s financial fair play regulations and failed to provide accurate financial information.

At the time, City insisted there is “irrefutable evidence” to prove their innocence. If the club are found guilty, punishment could range from a points deduction to a possible exclusion from the Premier League.

City are the second club in the Premier League era to win three titles in a row. Rivals Manchester United achieved the feat twice under Sir Alex Ferguson, first between 1998 and 2001 and then for the second time between 2006 and 2009.

City have now won the Premier League seven times since the club were taken over by owner Sheikh Mansour in 2008. It is their ninth league title overall, now level with Everton as the fourth-most in England behind Manchester United (20), Liverpool (19) and Arsenal (13).