Alvarez goal downs Chelsea to add to City title party 

CHAMPIONS: Manchester City win the Premier League for the third season in a row. Pic: AP Photo/Jon Super

MAN CITY 1 CHELSEA 0 

JULIAN Alvarez scored the first half goal that made it 24 games without defeat for Manchester City - but Pep Guardiola’s team was already in celebration mode even before kick-off.

Having won their fifth title in six years due to Arsenal’s defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, the City manager made nine changes from the side that dismantled Real Madrid on Wednesday.

It meant a subs’ bench that cost nearly half a billion pounds and allowed Guardiola to rest key men ahead of upcoming FA Cup and Champions League Finals.

But the display by what was effectively City’s “B” team summed up their superiority over the rest of the Premier League.

The atmosphere was one of unbridled joy for City fans from well before kick-off when they greeted their heroes off the team bus with blue flares choking the sunny Manchester sky.

And the trophy presentation after the game, made by legendary City figure Alex Williams, their former goalkeeper of the 1980s, was the first of what those supporters will hope will be a treble cause for jubilation this summer.

The goal that clinched a 20th win in their last 24 games came after 12 minutes and an horrendous pass out of defence by Wesley Fofana.

City countered and Cole Palmer’s pass found Alvarez in space and he thundered in a brilliant finish from just inside the area to continue what has been a miserable campaign for Frank Lampard’s side.

It was a poor performance from the visitors and exhibition game stuff from the champions for long periods.

Soon after the goal, an amazing move ended with a Riyad Mahrez shot blocked and, early in the second half, Kalvin Phillips marked his first league start of the season by hitting the post.

There was also a second “goal” for Alvarez, who turned in a Mahrez cross on 71 minutes only for the effort to be ruled out by VAR for handball.

Chelsea enjoyed a brief spell of pressure around the half-hour mark with former City forward Raheem Sterling forcing a good save out of Stefan Ortega.

And a Conor Gallagher header hit the City woodwork as the visitors briefly showed signs of life.

But it was an illusion and the sight of Guardiola throwing on John Stones, Erling Haaland, Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne off his bench as the second half wore on was an indication of how far City’s squad is ahead of their rivals.

That squad will be tested in far more serious surroundings in the two games that matter in their quest for the treble - next month’s Manchester derby FA Cup Final and the Champions League meeting with Inter Milan in Istanbul.

But, as they became the first team since Manchester United in 2009 to secure a hat-trick of league titles, City’s play at the peak of English football was underlined once more.

MAN CITY (4-1-4-1): Ortega 7; Walker 7, Akanji 6 (Stones 57, 6), Laporte 6 (Rodri 77, 6), Gomez 6 (De Bruyne 77, 6); Phillips 7; Mahrez 7 (Haaland 73, 6), Lewis 7, Foden 7, Palmer 8; Alvarez 7. Substitutes (not used) Ederson, Dias, Gundogan, Grealish, Silva.

CHELSEA (3-4-2-1): Kepa 6; W Fofana 5, Silva 6, Chalobah 5; Azpilicueta 6, Hernandez 5, Loftus-Cheek 6 (Chukwuemeka 80), Hall 5 (Koulibaly 80); Sterling 7 (Madueke 69, 5), Gallagher 6 (Mudryk 69, 5); Havertz 5 (Pulisic 85). Substitutes (not used) Mendy, Felix, Ziyech, D Fofana.

REFEREE: M Oliver 7