Jack Grealish was once again the headline story of Manchester City’s latest Premier League trophy parade.
Pep Guardiola’s reigning English champions shook off the disappointment of Saturday’s shock 2-1 defeat by rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley to celebrate their historic top-flight achievement with an open-top bus parade along the streets of their home city on Sunday night.
Guardiola and his players and staff all soaked up the adulation of the fans as they were lauded for becoming the first team ever to win the Premier League title in four successive seasons, having sealed their sixth in the last seven campaigns by beating West Ham 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium on the final day last weekend to hold off the spirited challenge of rivals Arsenal.
While not quite on the same level as their wild celebrations that followed last season’s historic Treble triumph, having this time lost to United in the FA Cup final and Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League, City still still enjoyed a night to remember as thousands of fans lined the streets of Manchester’s city centre to pay homage to their heroes despite some grisly weather.
Ruben saved Grealish from falling off the bus 😭
— Manchestericonic (@manchestriconic) May 26, 2024
🎥 @bluemoon_mcfc pic.twitter.com/mv941GmF5r
Their open-top bus parade - which took place after the Great Manchester Run - started at Cathedral Gardens by the National Football Museum and went through Exchange Square and down Deansgate before ending up outside the Hilton Hotel, with light blue fireworks and flares set off by jubilant supporters that clambered up scaffolding and Guardiola also treating himself to a celebratory cigar.
In addition to the Premier League version, City also held aloft the Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup trophies they won by beating Sevilla and Fluminense respectively earlier this season as confetti rained down and fans produced inflatables.
But the affable Grealish was once again the star of the show, having fans in hysterics with his comical behaviour that included one amusing stint as a cameraman.
However, the England playmaker’s night could have ended in catastrophe, with footage that has circulated widely on social media websites since showing that he almost fell off the open-top bus on two separate occasions along the route.
Jack Grealish just came VERY close to falling off the bus 😂 Doku saved his life pic.twitter.com/kvQVLE2Gb1
— BeanymanSports (@BeanymanSports) May 26, 2024
Grealish can be seen in one clip joining dancing Portuguese defender Ruben Dias up on a ledge at the back of the bus while appearing to hold up a doll of one of his team-mates thrown by a fan, before almost falling as the initially stationary vehicle then pulled away to continue the journey.
On that occasion Dias crucially put his arm around Grealish to prevent him from falling and then helped him back down, while on another it was Belgian winger Jeremy Doku who came to his aid after he again got caught out celebrating on top of the back of the bus and interacting with fans below and fell backwards as it started to move once more.
Thankfully Grealish made it to the end of the celebrations in one piece, with attentions now turning to his role with England at Euro 2024 this summer.
"It's been a special season," said Grealish’s England and City team-mate Phil Foden as the players and Guardiola were interviewed during the celebrations. "Obviously (four in a row) is something nobody else has done before. It's an unbelievable feeling.
"There is a hunger inside me to win trophies and the other players want to win as well. We're delighted with this season but next season we want to go again and win more."
Erling Haaland, who won his second consecutive Premier League Golden Boot for scoring the most goals in a season, said: “It's been lovely again and a fourth in a row, it's amazing this club. I'm so proud of everybody and happy.
"There have been many good moments but when we knew we were going to win the league, I have to say (that was the best one).
"The support home and away has been unbelievable. I'm proud. What can I say?"
Guardiola - who recent reports suggest could leave City when his current contract expires next summer - said: “We will be back next season. The FA Cup, we will take it.
"Even myself, I couldn't expect to stay here eight years but everything goes well. Step by step we are here. It looks routine but it's not routine."
