Man City’s Treble Bid Up And Running After Winning English Premier League

Manchester City supporters celebrate outside the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, May 20, 2023. Manchester City clinched the English Premier League title on Saturday after their nearest challengers Arsenal lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Manchester City’s bid for a treble of major trophies is up and running.

The first was secured on Saturday without City even playing as the team clinched a third successive English Premier League title — and a ninth top-flight crown in its 143-year history — thanks to another slip-up by second-placed Arsenal.

Arsenal’s end-of-season collapse is complete. Manchester City is the English Premier League champion once again.

Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion at Emirates stadium in London, Sunday, May 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

A 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest capped a stunning implosion by Arsenal in a title race that came to an end on Saturday, with City holding an unassailable four-point lead and champion for a third straight year.

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City’s players will get their hands on the league trophy after their match against Chelsea on Sunday, but don’t expect the celebrations to last too long.

A banner celebrating their title win is unfurled outside Manchester City’s Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, May 20, 2023. Manchester City clinched the English Premier League title on Saturday after their nearest challengers Arsenal lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Pep Guardiola’s squad has its sights on becoming just the second team to capture the Premier League-FA Cup-Champions League treble, and still has two finals to play.

The FA Cup final against Manchester United is on June 3 at Wembley Stadium followed by a meeting with Inter Milan in the Champions League final on June 10.

City is enjoying a period of domestic dominance rarely seen in English soccer.

That’s five league titles in seven years in Guardiola’s reign and seven in a 12-season spell that began with Sergio Aguero’s storied stoppage-time goal to win the league in 2012.

Players of Arsenal walk off the pitch after the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal at City ground in Nottingham, England, Saturday, May 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

“The Premier League is without doubt the most demanding and competitive league in the world,” City captain Ilkay Gundogan said, “so that tells you everything about what an achievement this is.

“That quality and consistency helps sum up what Manchester City stand for and ensures the club will continue to strive for success going forward.”

It’s the first time City has won three leagues in a row and comes while the Abu Dhabi-owned club is facing an unprecedented slew of charges from the Premier League for allegedly breaking financial rules from 2009-18 and a subsequent failure to co-operate with an investigation.

Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester City at the Goodison Park stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, May 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Those charges — 115 in total — cast a shadow over City’s achievements under its Abu Dhabi ownership, though it could be years before a verdict is reached by an independent disciplinary commission.

What isn’t up for debate is the quality City has produced in its now-familiar end-of-season burst of victories that piled the pressure on Arsenal, which has the unwanted distinction this season of leading the league for a record number of days (248) without eventually winning it.

While City has finished like a train by winning 11 straight games, Arsenal — owning the youngest squad in the league under inexperienced coach Mikel Arteta — has buckled with a first top-flight title since 2004 in sight and won just won of its last eight games.

“One team in six seasons has beaten Manchester City to the title,” Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale said. “But it was our own doing, individual errors in games we should have won. We were in a position to win those games.”

Forest is safe from relegation after its win.

Nottingham Forest’s manager Steve Cooper, left, celebrates with Nottingham Forest’s Cheikhou Kouyate, center, and Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi after the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal at City ground in Nottingham, England, Saturday, May 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

MAN UNITED CLOSE

Manchester United is on the brink of a return to the Champions League. Liverpool is almost certain to miss out.

The race for the final two Champions League qualification places behind Man City and Arsenal is nearly over after United beat Bournemouth 1-0 away and Liverpool could only draw 1-1 at home to Aston Villa.

That left fifth-placed Liverpool three points behind both Newcastle in third and United in fourth. While Liverpool has only one game to play — at already-relegated Southampton — Newcastle and United have two and need only a point each to secure top-four finishes.

Newcastle could get over the line as early as Monday in a home game against Leicester, before finishing at Chelsea. United still has Chelsea and Fulham to play at home.

Casemiro scored from an acrobatic overhead kick in the eighth minute for the only goal at Bournemouth.

Manchester United’s Casemiro celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Saturday May 20, 2023. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

A Brazilian was Liverpool’s scorer, too. Roberto Firmino marked his last game at Anfield for the club with the 89th-minute equalizer against Villa. Jacob Ramsey put Villa ahead in the 27th, soon after Ollie Watkins missed a penalty for the visitors.

MINA SAVES EVERTON

Yerry Mina headed in Everton’s latest recorded Premier League goal — in the ninth minute of stoppage time — in potentially a big moment in the relegation fight.

It earned Everton a 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton and moved the team two points clear of the bottom three, currently occupied by already-relegated Southampton as well as Leicester and Leeds.

Leeds and Leicester have two games left and Everton just one — Bournemouth at home next weekend.

Everton is seeking to preserve its 69-year stay in the top-flight.

Fulham drew at home to Crystal Palace 2-2 in the day’s other league game.