No twist in the tale as City prevail

Manchester City 2 West Ham 0

Separated by less than 20 minutes, Martin Skrtel’s own goal for Liverpool against Newcastle and Nasri’s opening effort for Manuel Pellegrini’s side ensured there would be none of the heart-stopping, career-defining drama that accompanied Sergio Aguero’s title-winning heroics for City two years ago.

It was, ultimately, all very routine as Pellegrini ended his impressive first season in charge at the Etihad by adding the league title to the Capital One Cup won earlier in the year and, thus, out of keeping with what has been an atypical and hugely enjoyable Premier League campaign.

The unavoidable conclusion, of course, given City’s unparalleled financial clout, the profiles and ages of key players and the unflappable excellence that Pellegrini has brought to his role as the club’s manager, is that it may be many seasons before English football fans are treated to a similarly unpredictable campaign.

“I think that I manage a great group of players, a great institution and great fans,” said Pellegrini after winning his first ever league title in European football.

“Big teams cannot be satisfied with one title. It’s very important. Celebrate, today, tomorrow and Monday and on Tuesday start working for next season because this club and players deserve more titles.”

Uefa, via their controversial financial fair play regulations, appear to have City in their sights and, while cash penalties are risible in the case of City and their billionaire owners, limitations on squad numbers could, conceivably, hinder Pellegrini in his efforts to dominate Europe in the way this club appears poised to dominate at home, having now won the title twice in three years.

“It’s been a brilliant season,” said Pellegrini, allowing his normally passive expression to break into a beaming smile. “Out of all the sides at the top, we kept going the longest in the four competitions and we managed to win two of them as well.

“After we played against Liverpool, we didn’t deserve to lose 3-2, at that moment the title was not in our hands any more. But we didn’t give up, we hoped that Liverpool could lose points also so we continued playing.

“I think this club has been working very well. Four years ago, it was a big club with fans but not a team that could fight for the title. The last four years this has changed. The owners have worked in a very humble way and the directors have been trying to improve the club every year.

“This started two seasons ago when Roberto Mancini won the title and the cup. They have tried to continue improving and in the future we will try to continue winning the title.”

Even allowing for the latest Liverpool collapse, there was never any doubt that City would dominate and, ultimately, sweep aside Sam Allardyce’s Hammers.

By the time Nasri scored his 39th minute opening goal, City were enjoying 75% of the possession and were toying with the 10 West Ham players constantly positioned behind the ball deep in their own half, prodding and probing and awaiting a breach in the defences.

It finally came when no Hammer closed down Nasri, who gathered a short pass from Yaya Toure and produced a sweet, 20-yard right-shot which goalkeeper Adrian touched onto his right-hand post and into the net.

The fit-again Aguero glanced a header just wide and David Silva’s shot was touched onto the West Ham crossbar in the closing moments of the first half but the victory was assured within four minutes of the restart from Nasri’s left-wing corner.

Edin Dzeko did well to twist and steer Nasri’s cross goalwards fro Vincent Kompany to sweep the ball home from six yards. The Etihad had been in celebratory mood from the moment news had filtered through of the Newcastle goal 40 miles down the East Lancs road on Merseyside. Now, the party could begin in earnest, even as news came through that Liverpool had equalised and nosed in front.

With Joe Hart required to do nothing in terms of saves in the City goal, thereafter the game became training ground material and an exercise in how many City could score.

Aguero headed just wide from a Pablo Zabaleta cross, Silva’s shot was deflected behind, Aguero mishit from six yards after another Zabaleta centre and Adrian was required to save smartly with his feet, to block a close-range shot from Nasri.

None of it mattered of course, with a draw being City’s maximum requirement for the day and West Ham completely incapable of scoring. Indeed, the visitors showed more aggression and passion in a last-minute minor scuffle that led to Aguero ending the season with a yellow card for a clash with Mark Noble than they had in the preceding 90 minutes.

In truth, the title had long since been decided, not on the season’s concluding day but with Liverpool’s home defeat to Chelsea and their inexcusable surrender of a three-goal lead at Crystal Palace a week ago. The thousands of City supporters who invaded the pitch to mark their success on the final whistle will doubtless make the case that it may be a long time before a title race is as keenly contested again.

MAN CITY (4-4-2): Hart 6; Zabaleta 6, Kompany 7, Demichelis 7, Kolarov 6; Nasri 9, Garcia 7, Toure 8 (Negredo 86), Silva 7 (Milner 75, 6); Aguero 7, Dzeko 7 (Fernandinho 69, 7).

Subs not used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Clichy, Jovetic.

WEST HAM (4-4-1-1): Adrian 7; O’Brien 5, Tomkins 6, Reid 5, McCartney 5; Downing 5, Taylor 5, Noble 6, Diame 6; Nolan 5 (Jarvis 63, 6); Carroll 6 (C Cole 72, 6).

Subs not used: Armero, Vaz Te, Collins, Jaaskelainen, J Cole.

Referee: M Atkinson 7.