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Vincent Kompany is arguably one of the greatest, and certainly one of the most accomplished club captains in Manchester City history. For all the plaudits and silverware won, you could could even put Kompany in among the greatest skippers at any club.
The 33-year-old Belgian defender, City’s longest serving player, now officially moves on, having made major football history this past weekend- being part of the first domestic treble winning club in English history.
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Manchester City star Raheem Sterling, who enjoyed three productive years with Liverpool before moving to the Etihad in 2015, grew up a supporter of a different northwest England club. It was actually Manchester United, the chief rival of both the aforementioned clubs that the Jamaican born English international supported during his childhood.
Ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup final against Watford, Sterling admitted he grew up a Red Devils fan, and he was at the 2007 FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, where he saw MUFC fall to Chelsea. Sterling got his ticket via courtesy of gift from his school, and that memorable experience inspired Sterling to give back 12 years later.
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Liverpool FC are looking very strong as they head into their all-England UEFA Champions League final versus Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid on June 1. at arch-rival Manchester United. Their fine form (third highest season point total in Premier League history/most points ever for a runner-up) has resulted in their retaining the top spot this week in Shaka Hislop’s global power rankings.
The table composed by the former goalkeeper and current ESPN FC pundit is a world order, but it’s all Europe this week, and almost every week. With both Euro finals being all-England match-ups, it’s no surprise that British sides dominate the list.
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Two days before Manchester City stage their 2018-19 Premier League title parade and celebration, Pep Guardiola’s men will aim to achieve the first ever domestic treble by an English side. No team has ever won the League Cup, FA Cup and League title in the same season, and the only thing standing in the Sky Blues’ way is Watford.
Yes, it’s a good time to be a Man City fan, as former Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher will be the first to tell you. City have won the FA Cup five times, with the most recent glory coming in 2011. This will be the first FA Cup final appearance since 1984 for Watford FC; where they lost to 2-0 to Everton.
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What do 1983-84 Liverpool, 2000-01 Liverpool and 1998-99 Manchester United have in common? They all won trebles, by claiming one European and two domestic trophies. No one has ever gotten into treble territory on domestic squabbles alone, but Manchester City can achieve it Saturday, should they beat Watford FC in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
Regardless of the weekend result, City are already in rarified air, having followed up last year’s record breaking Premier League season points total by achieving the second most (100 last year, 98 this year).
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Today is gonna be the day that they’re gonna throw it back to you, Liverpool and Manchester United fans. By now, you should have somehow realized what you gotta do in response to the trolling from Noel Gallagher. The musician and Manchester City super-fan, who served as the lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis, has thrown some massive shade at both United and Liverpool.
Yesterday, Gallagher celebrated with City on the pitch at at the AMEX as his beloved side successfully defended their Premier League title. He then sang the Oasis song and City anthem “Wonderwall” with the players in the changing room.
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One thing you won’t find today in the trademark grey sweater of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is a device giving him updates on the score of the Liverpool versus Wolverhampton Wanderers game. Or at least the device will be off/in airplane mode.
That’s because Guardiola, according to a report from the Sun, has banned his staff from keeping tabs on that contest while his side plays at Brighton & Hove Albion.
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There isn’t much else left to say at this point. Championship Sunday is almost here and it really stands on its face without any more hype needed. Manchester City control their own Premier League title destiny at Brighton & Hove Albion. Win and they’re in, and that’s two trophies down, one to goal for a treble!
Let’s take a look at who Pep Guardiola may select in his first team, as he strives to make sure the 2018-19 team joins last year’s side in the annals of Man City history.
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The greatest Premier League title run in history comes to a climax and then a denouement on Sunday, and in the end two teams will be well deserving, but only one will hoist the trophy. Manchester City became the first club in PL history to 100 points last season, and should they win on Championship Sunday at Brighton & Hove Albion, they will finish with 98 this season.
Safe to say that they followed up their season for the ages quite nicely. Let’s take a look at the fitness situation for both sides, starting with the title contending visitors.
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Brendan Rodgers is poised to potentially do a massive solid for one of his former employers. He leads his Leicester City side into Manchester on Monday night with the potential to massively impact the Premier League title race. Battling the Citizens to a draw would be a big help to his former club Liverpool.
Beating City would be massive for Anfield, as it could effectively hand them the title; provided they take care of business on their own end. Oh, and Leicester still has an outside chance of qualifying for the Europa League, so they will not be short of motivation in their own right.
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Manchester City can retain the Premier League title Monday night provided Liverpool lose to Newcastle United later tonight, and they beat Leicester City. Of course, the odds are against that happening, and all prognosticators, projectionists, predictors and odds makers see a true Championship Sunday on the horizon.
It seems that the battle for the Premier League title will be fought to the final minute of the final day. Let’s take a look at who City Manager Pep Guardiola may select in his first team for the titanic clash on Monday night.
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Here we come down the final stretch of what has shaped up to be one of the most exciting Premier League title chases of all time. The second place finisher, whether it’s Manchester City or Liverpool, will end up with an impressive points total, an accumulation so high that it would win the title in pretty much any other season.
The Premier League weekend finishes with a pretty solid fixture- Leicester City at Manchester City. Let’s run down the fitness situation.
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