Manchester City have never enjoyed a more dominant moment – or a more tantalising one. A third Premier League title in a row and fifth in six seasons? Check. It had been sealed when Arsenal lost at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening – what happened on the pitch here felt incidental.
It was a party in sky blue, beginning inside the Etihad Stadium when the Chelsea players lined up to give the champions a pre-match guard of honour and rolling all the way through to the pitch invasion from thousands of City fans at full time. The lack of jeopardy or drama did not make the trophy lift any less sweet for the captain, Ilkay Gündogan, or anyone connected to the club.
