The fruits of Manchester City’s labours in the best year of their history were on the pitch. Five trophies, each on a plinth, greeted their players as they emerged from the tunnel. City may never have another haul at the same time ever again and if this was a relatively mundane end to a marvellous year, that is quibbling. There is no guarantee they will have it this good again, and if a 2-0 win over Sheffield United may soon be forgotten, City’s 2023 will long be remembered in these parts.
They ended it with a second successive league win, a contrast from the stumbles that yielded a solitary victory in six attempts before the Club World Cup. They did not play like an all-conquering force, one for the rest of the footballing planet to fear, but the danger for their rivals is that City are starting to acquire the kind of momentum that has powered them to previous titles.
