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2364, United Kingdom | AFP | Champions Manchester City have set their sights on rewriting the record books after clinching the Premier League title.
Pep Guardiola’s side were crowned kings of English football on Sunday as their arch rivals Manchester United slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat against struggling West Bromwich Albion.
City are 16 points clear of second placed United, who can only take a maximum of 15 points from their remaining matches.
Our Time. Our City.
Premier League Champions 17/18 ?#mancity pic.twitter.com/lztlN3lWFW
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 15, 2018
Given the way they have demolished all challengers in the league, it was apparent months ago that it was only a matter of when rather than if City would take the title.
But sealing the silverware thanks to a slip from old enemies United and their boss Jose Mourinho — a long-time rival of Guardiola — was a sweet moment, especially after they lost to their neighbours in the Manchester derby last weekend.
Winning the title with five matches to go makes City the joint earliest champions in the Premier League era — matching the achievement of the 2000-01 Manchester United team.
That is just one of a welter of statistical feats that have led some to rank City among the Premier League’s greatest ever teams.
Whether they deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Manchester United’s 1999 treble winners or the 2004 Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ is up for debate.
Celebrating victory .. Celebrating together!
Congratulations to @ManCity on winning the English #PremierLeague ??@Cityarabia #ManCity pic.twitter.com/reikzkBzgz— Etisalat UAE (@etisalat) April 15, 2018
But City, who will stage a title party when they host Swansea on Sunday, have a chance to underline their credentials over their last five matches.
Fuelled by the majestic form of Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling, City set a new Premier League record earlier this season by winning 18 successive matches.
The Premier League’s record points tally of 95, set by Chelsea in 2004-05, is within City’s reach if they can take nine from their last fixtures.
With 28 league victories so far, City need three more wins to top Chelsea’s record of 30 Premier League wins in a season.
