An
incredible end to an incredible Premier League season, one that went right down
to the wire in the most dramatic of styles. Forgetting for now the other issues
to be decided, namely Champions League qualification and relegation, the battle
for the title was a rollercoaster of emotions for fans of both Manchester
sides. United supporters would have held far more hope than belief at 3pm when
the games kicked off that QPR could do them a favour, the Hoops having a dire
away record and City an imperious home record. What hope did exist came from
the possibility that QPR needed a result to avoid relegation, depending on what
happened elsewhere in Bolton's game at Stoke. If you're reading this, you
probably already know what happened so I'll avoid a blow by blow account.
However, it is pretty safe to say that no one would have written the script the
way it happened. Once City had taken the lead, it looked a near certainty that
they would go on and take the title with some ease. I was watching the United
game, seeing if they could at least stick to their side of the bargain by
winning at Sunderland, but at half time I decided to switch over and watch the
City game. I figured that I would watch until City scored a second to seal the
win, then go back to watching United without the tension that was previously
there. I had the score updates on the BBC red button service, with a slight
delay so it was not ahead of my SkyGo live feed, and my ears pricked up every
time a goal was announced, or the words Etihad Stadium were mentioned. In the
second half, I barely noticed the BBC, such was the drama going on at City.
Barely had I begun watching the City game, and QPR were level. Joleon Lescott's poor attempt at a headed clearance let in Djibril Cisse and the Frenchman buried home an equaliser. On a side note, it was unfortunate timing by Lescott ahead of the Euros as he has had his most convincing season in terms of being worthy of a place in the England team. Errors like that do not help his cause, particularly with the question marks in his position over taking both Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, but he has probably on balance done enough this season to be considered a decent option. Within minutes of drawing level, Rangers were down to ten men after one of the most astonishing pieces of idiocy I have seen on a football field. For once, it was not Mario Balotelli surpassing himself; instead it was that never-to-be-fully-reformed sad act Joey Barton landing himself in the hottest of waters. His decision to throw an elbow in the face of Carlos Tevez off the ball was bad enough, and whilst there is some truth in his Tweeted argument that Tevez lashed out at him first, Barton is old enough and pretentiously pious enough to know that he shouldn't retaliate. The retaliation is what was spotted by the linesman and Barton rightfully ended up with a red card. What happened next was just insane. Barton walked up behind Sergio Aguero, whose crime in Barton's eyes I cannot decipher, and kneed him hard in the hamstring. With City players reacting, he then attempted to headbutt Vincent Kompany, before escaping the clutches of calming influence Micah Richards to try and square up to Balotelli. Having already been sent off this season, Barton will face an automatic four game ban for the red card, but that tally must surely grow several fold for the incidents with Aguero and Kompany. I would not be surprised to see double figures in terms of games he is banned for.
Without their departed captain - and I laugh at the thought that such an idiot has been entrusted the captaincy, not one of Mark Hughes' finer decisions - QPR battled on with heart and guts and even went ahead through Jamie Mackie, an underrated player who played a big part in their promotion a year ago. City were on the rocks. The body language of Roberto Mancini said it all; so did the images of the crowd. As the clock wore down, I decided to wait til the last moment to turn over to watch United celebrate the championship, fearing jinxing it in that way that only football fans do - it is funny how so many of us think that out of the thousands and thousands watching, it is our lone actions that will have the effect on fate. It was around about 90 minutes on the clock in both games when I let myself switch over, and the time was nearly up at the Stadium of Light when the BBC, as well as the commentators on Sky, informed me City had drawn level. Full time went for United, a nervous wait ensued before the fans and players could celebrate... and then news arrived that City had scored again. Incredible. United fans may hurt to see their formerly inferior neighbours take their crown, and they may hurt at how close their own team came to winning the title before it was snatched away. However, they can have few complaints that City have done so in such dramatic fashion, because had the boot been on the other foot they would have loved it, loved it, loved it. City won the league in the fashion that United have become famous for, keeping going until the last moment and doing it with late goals and late drama. This is how Bayern Munich fans must have felt in '99, winning the Champions League going in to stoppage time and having lost it moments later. United had been out-United-ed, to make up words and phrases, by City.
You would have to say on balance that City deserve the title. Anyone who is top after 38 games, when every team has played home and away against every other team, deserves their title. This is a City side who for most of the season have played attractive attacking football, a world away from last season's negative catenaccio-inspired dross that few wanted to watch. It is incredible to think though that but for a last gasp winner against QPR, or for several other moments in the season that you could argue earned City points, United would have been champions. If United had won the title, you would have to say too that they deserved it. Such fine margins can change definitions of who is deserving; after all, only goal difference split the teams this season, the tightest margin ever. To me, despite having my loyalties firmly in the red camp, the blue half of Manchester are rightful winners because of their record in matches against United, winning both and with the stunning 6-1 triumph at Old Trafford earlier in the campaign resulting in the goal difference margin that won the title. At the same time, it also means that United's record against the other 18 clubs is better than City's - you could make so many different arguments for who the best team were that it is fairest to just let the table speak for itself. United will rue the recent loss to Wigan, the late concession of two goals to Everton to turn a 4-2 lead in to a 4-4 draw. Most of all, United will rue Kompany's winning header two weeks ago and the concession of three late goals in that 6-1; had United settled for a 3-1 defeat instead of going gung-ho and leaving themselves open at the back, the goal difference would have been just two rather than eight going in to the final games, and that would have been achievable considering how close United came to winning more than 1-0 against Sunderland.
So, the bottom line is this: congratulations City on a deserved title, and commiserations to United who deservedly finished within the tightest of margins of the eventual champions. An incredible season with an incredible ending.
Part two to follow later, looking at the rest of the last day action.
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