Manuel Akanji's integration (left) is Guardiola's latest triumph. Photo: Manchester City/Lexy Ilsley
With their already familiar end-of-season success stretching to seven consecutive Premier League wins, Manchester City could still clinch their fifth title in six years with 94 points. At one time, 90 seemed like the threshold of unattainable brilliance achieved by teams as rare as the 2004 Arsenal Invincibles. and the architects of Manchester United's 2009 Three Peat Project. But after Pep Guardiola's second season at City, three out of four victories were recorded with total points of 100, 98 and 93. They make the absurdly impressive levels look downright mundane.
It's tempting to say that City's eye-popping brilliance is hurting the health of the Premier League. Except for a few who came up with this theory when United won five out of six from 1996 to 2001, part of a wider sequence of 13 out of 21. In contrast, a flood of adulation swept Alex Ferguson to a knighthood 14 years before when he finally retired. So is there a risk of double standards here? And if so, is it because the City, outside the circle of so-called «heritage clubs», is considered too chiseled, too corporate, too acquisitive to deserve wider affection?
This is a caricature haunting Paris Saint-Germain. They were founded only in 1970 and before Qatar came to power in 2011, they managed to win only two French championships. Since then? Eight in 10 years, a record their owners are so desperate to hold onto that we now see the absurd spectacle of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi fighting together against Strasbourg or Brest. Ligue 1 became known as the «Farmers' League», where PSG is portrayed as a vampire enterprise devouring poor village cousins.
Gradually, the same accusations are made against the City. Erling Haaland's recent profile for Forbes stated that the Norwegian has turned the Premier League into farm league territory with his amazing scoring performances. The surge in the city is more than just a matter of perception. Chelsea have not come closer than 15 points since their last league win in 2017. Antonio Conte, despairing of the futility of destroying the champions, called them «monsters» during his unhappy tenure at Tottenham. Judging by City's lopsided 4-1 victory over Arsenal this week, their lead could be even more monstrous.
At the very least, Arsenal and Liverpool can be credited with resisting the runaway train. Yet even Liverpool's most dizzying record has not always been enough: with Jurgen Klopp's players racking up nine consecutive victories to end their 2019 campaign, City managed 14 consecutive wins by a point. Arsenal are also discovering that history is written by the winners. Having led this year's race by a full eight points, they are now in danger of being swallowed up by City at the finish line with room to spare. They are a brilliant young side, but ultimately it looks like their destiny is to be mere decorations gracing the latest sky blue parade.
Luckily, we're still a long way from the predetermined Bundesliga feel, though Bayern Munich are underperforming Borussia Dortmund at least this season if they want to claim an 11th title in a row. With the exception of one tense duel against Borussia Dortmund in 2018, just look at the points gap between first and second over that period: 25, 14, 10, 10, 15, 21, 13, 13, 12. It's downright ridiculous. a monopoly maintained by Bayern's habit of vacuuming anyone they like among their perceived rivals. Did Robert Lewandowski set Dortmund on fire in 2012, pushing them to a precious home double? He signs a tentative agreement to move to Bayern next season. Leon Goretzka becomes a sensation for Schalke? Instant one-way ticket to Bavaria.
The city is rarely guilty of such ritual robbery. Their recruitment is carried out at such a sophisticated level that it takes them years to be at the front of the line for Haaland. They easily integrate Manuel Akanji into the first XI at the age of 27. All of this is made possible, of course, by Abu Dhabi's vast sovereign wealth, which allows them to afford such costly mistakes as Danilo, bought for £26m in 2017 as a replacement for a right-back and then quit two years later. having played only 34 matches. But their dynasty, unlike Bavaria, was not built on raids on competitors.
Admittedly, it could be intimidating if City beat Jude Bellingham's Borussia Dortmund this summer. They have usurped Real Madrid as the go-to destination for this generation of talent, all because of Guardiola, the man who attracts the best and makes them even better. Even after six years with Ederson, he is still pushing his goalkeeper, interrupting City's first goal celebration against Arsenal to scold him for his slow clearance. He mentored Haaland so insightfully that the centre-forward broke the Premier League season record of 38 games with seven games to go. > If Manchester City sign Jude Bellingham this summer, it would underscore that the Abu Dhabi-owned club has become a favorite haunt of a generation's talent. AP/Martin Meissner
The highlights of Guardiola's career are staggering. If he takes over at City next month, he will win the league title in 11 of his 14 seasons as manager. He will be the first to admit that he has benefited from a plethora of superstars at Barcelona, Bayern and now City, but it is Guardiola, with his love of life on the brink, who epitomizes the relentless pursuit of excellence. It is Guardiola who gives City the soul that PSG, other plutocratic toys, so obviously lack. What happens when he leaves? The whole building starts to collapse? The city can hardly bear the idea. So far, under the guidance of their insatiable trainer, they are content with the fact that the ridiculous seems like a routine.
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