It’s no longer a question of if Manchester City will win the Premier League, but by how many points.
December’s not even halfway over but Pep Guardiola’s team basically won the title Sunday, defeating Manchester United 2-1 in the much-hyped Manchester derby. The win puts City 11 points clear of the second place Red Devils with 22 games to play. It’s not an insurmountable lead, but considering the Citizens have dropped just two points from the season’s first 16 matches, it’s hard to imagine anyone making up that ground on them.
It was a strange game, really. Not good, but compelling in a way that top six clashes rarely are. As you’d expect from a matchup between the league’s top two clubs, it was a tense, hard-fought affair in which neither team was able to do exactly what it wanted. City spent most of the game with the ball but rarely found clear-cut chances. Meanwhile, United soaked up City’s attack for the most part but found it next to impossible to catch them on the counter.
What ended up deciding the game were three defensive miscues neither manager will be thrilled with. In the 43rd minute, David Silva pounced on a harmless looking corner no United defender bothered to deal with to put City on top. That lead lasted just four minutes, as Marcus Rashford slotted home a ball that both Nicolas Otamendi and Fabian Delph failed to clear to level things up in first-half stoppage time. But the worst was left for last when a rushed Romelu Lukaku clearance whacked off a teammate’s back and right to the feet of Otamendi in the 54th. The defender duly smashed the ball into the back of the net to put City up for good.
As shocking as those mistakes may have been, it was a moment of defensive brilliance that ended up deciding the game. In the 84th, City keeper Ederson did his best impression of his United counterpart David de Gea last week against Arsenal, pulling off a fantastic double save. The Brazilian took the full force of a point-blank shot from Lukaku right in the face, then popped right up to deny Juan Mata from equally close range. With stoppage time, there was still about ten minutes left at that point, but it was clear from both sets of players that was the game.
The victory pushed City’s win streak to 14 — a record for a single season — and though they have Tottenham coming up next weekend, it’s hard to see anyone beating them right now. Coming into the game, City were struggling, comparatively speaking, through their last three games, waiting until the final 10 minutes to seize victory against Huddersfield, Southampton and West Ham. And on Sunday they were far from their glittering best. City dominated the Paul Pogba-less midfield, but their attacks lacked their usual cutting edge and talisman Kevin De Bruyne was off the mark. It didn’t matter, though. Even then the league’s second-best team — and the only side many believed had a chance against City — couldn’t beat them or even get a draw. Who has a chance when they’re actually on? No one, right now.
The other European domestic leagues all have their fair share of strong sides, but none can boast six legitimately good teams like the Premier League can. Manchester United are a very good team. So are Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham. But Manchester City are in a class by themselves — a genuinely great team that can beat the rest of the league’s best even on an off day. Sure, City will slip up and all but surely won’t finish with the more than 109 points they’re currently on pace for, but no one’s catching up with them in the league. For the rest of the top six, it’s time to accept that their goal has changed. Now they have to focus on securing a Champions League spot and maybe, if they get lucky and the bounces go their way, picking off City in a cup competition.
Goal of the Week
Jermain Defoe, Bournemouth 2-2 Crystal Palace
Defoe’s had a horrible start to his Bournemouth career, but his equalizing volley (1:36 mark) in Saturday’s draw with Palace shows he can still contribute. Just before the halftime whistle, the striker ran down a long ball, then, and without even glancing at the goal, looped a beautiful shot over the head of Julian Speroni and into the back of the net from what appeared an impossible angle.
Call of the Week
Referee Craig Pawson, Liverpool 1-1 Everton
Was Dejan Lovren’s challenge on Dominic Calvert-Lewin a penalty? Opinions differ but Pawson clearly thought so and signaled to the spot, giving Everton a lifeline in a game in which they’d been completely dominated. Wayne Rooney converted the chance with ease giving the Toffee’s the unlikeliest of draws in one of the country’s most intense derbies.
