21 May 2023 , 21:27
438
0
Pep Guardiola has joined Sir Alex Ferguson to become just the second manager to win three Premier League titles on the spin.
Guardiola's Manchester City left things very late last season, coming from behind against Aston Villa on the final day of the season to confirm top spot. Things have been wrapped up a bit earlier this time around though, with a third successive title confirmed when Arsenal lost at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The champions were given a guard of honour ahead of their game against Chelsea on Sunday, where Julian Alvarez's early goal was enough for a 1-0 victory. Guardiola and his squad celebrated with the Premier League trophy after the game, with the manager now having more of Ferguson's records in his sights.
Ferguson has gone three-for-three on two separate occasions. The first began with the 1998-99 league title - part one of United's treble - while the second ran from 2006-07 to 2008-09.
Guardiola won two in a row before Liverpool ended City's run thanks to their 2019-20 success. This time, though, there was no stopping a team who made it 12 wins in a row with their victory over Chelsea.
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
With five league titles, Guardiola is still some distance behind Ferguson's competition record of 13. However, he can now emulate the Scot's finest achievement, with just two more victories in the FA Cup and Champions League finals required to complete the treble.
How many league titles will this Man City side win in a row? Have your say in the comments section
Pep Guardiola was celebrating a third straight title and a fifth in six seasons (Getty Images)Despite celebrating a fifth league title in six seasons, the Champions League is the big prize for Guardiola. City have never won the competition, but can finally do so by beating Inter in Istanbul on June 10.
"You have to win the Champions League to be considered one of the best teams like United or Liverpool," the manager told Sky Sports. "But also it's unfair to say if you don't win it, the Premier League doesn't make sense.
"Of course it makes sense, of course it's important. It's every day, every week. This club won five of the last six but six of the last 10 and seven of the last 12. It's amazing."
A number of City's players shared those emotions. "Some of the lads here have won five Premier League titles but this is my first," Kalvin Phillips, who made his first league start of the season against Chelsea, told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"Pep has won so much in his career and if he can lead us to this treble he will be a happy man and will go down as the greatest manager in the world. I don't just want to win it for myself but also for him."