BLUE SWOON!
Man City Crowned Champions after Victory over West Ham
Liverpool Win, too, but Kompany Men Start the Party ...
Too Little, Too Late: Liverpool Fight Back to beat Toon, But Damage was Already Done
LIVERPOOL 2-1 NEWCASTLE:
The Reds came from behind to win but Manchester City's victory over West Ham meant they missed out on the Premier League title.
Start the party! Man City are Crowned Champions to Spark Wild Scenes
-as They Snatch the Trophy back from Rivals United
Champions of England: Manchester City have been crowned Premier League champions
for the second time in three seasons after beating West Ham 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium
Captain fantastic: Vincent Kompany lifts the Premier League trophy in front of his ecstatic teammates
Jubilation: Vincent Kompany lifts the Premier League trophy to mark the end of a magnificent season for City
Perfect timing: Remarkably, City have topped the table for just two weeks of the season, coming into form at the right time to claim the silverware
Master and commander: Captain Vincent Kompany and manager Manuel Pellegrini parade the trophy bedecked in blue ribbons again
Tickertape: Sergio Aguero lifts the trophy for the second time amid a rain of blue and white ribbons
Airborne: The players grab hold of Manuel Pellegrini to throw him in the air
Cheer: Even Manuel Pellegrini managed a smile as he was carried around by his players
It had looked as though Liverpool would be crowned champions for the first time in 24 years when they beat City on April 13, but a consistent run of form from City, who had games in hand, delivered them another title.
In the end, a 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea on April 27 and two dropped points against Crystal Palace last Monday saw them stumble at the final hurdle.
It means City add the Premier League to the Capital One Cup, won when they beat Sunderland at Wembley back in March.
Speaking after Kompany had lifted the trophy to rapturous noise, Pellegrini said: 'It was very special, it is my first year here in England and it has now been easy. I think that I manage a great group of players and great fans.
Words of thanks: This City supporter showed his appreciation to Liverpool Captain
Steven Gerrard for slipping against Chelsea and allowing Demba Ba to score a vital goal
Manchester City lifted the Barclays Premier League trophy for the second time in three seasons amid jubilant scenes at the Etihad Stadium.
Their 2-0 victory over West Ham was enough to bring the trophy back from Old Trafford and restore the blue half of Manchester as the best club in the country.
Manchester City 2-0 West Ham: Samir Nasri and Vincent Kompany Secured Premier League Title on Final Day
- Manchester City seal second title in three years with win over West Ham
- Samir Nasri and Vincent Kompany score in either half to secure the title
- Liverpool come from one goal down to beat Newcastle at Anfield
- City end the campaign with 102 goals, just one shy of Chelsea's record
By Daily Mail UK, 11 May 2014
ETIHAD STADIUM MATCH ZONE
Manchester City have been Crowned Barclays Premier League Champions after a 2-0 win over West Ham.
Manuel Pellegrini's side knew that a victory would seal their second title in three years regardless of what happened in Liverpool's match against Newcastle.
Samir Nasri settled the nerves when he opened the scoring for the hosts with just six minutes remaining of the first half.
Captain Vincent Kompany then slotted home from close range shortly after the re-start to end any danger of City not winning the title.
Liverpool came from one goal down to beat Newcastle, but following City's comfortable win, it wasn't enough to end their title drought which will now stretch into a 25th year.
Top of the tree: Vincent Kompany parades the Barclays Premier League trophy in front of the Man City faithful
Jumping for joy: Vincent Kompany wheels away in celebration after securing the Barclays Premier League title
We've done it: Vincent Kompany is mobbed after scoring his side's second goal to secure the Premier League
Party time: Vincent Kompany sends the Etihad crowd wild after scoring Manchester City's second of the day
Back of the net: The Belgian scores from close range to ensure Manchester City win the league
Blue is the Colour:
Samir Nasri celebrates with Pablo Zabaleta as Manchester City win the title
MATCH FACTS
Quote:
Manchester City: Jart, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Toure, Kompany, Demichelis, Silva (Milner, 76), Garcia, Dzeko (Fernandinho, 69), Aguero, Nasri.
West Ham: Adrian, O'Brien, McCartney, Taylor, Tomkins, Reid, Downing, Noble, Carrol (Cole, 72), Nolan (Jarvis, 64), Diane (Cole, 81) .
Referee: Martin Atkinson
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With ex-Liverpool players Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing in their side, as well as Reds fan Kevin Nolan, West Ham did have the personnel to provide one last dramatic twist at the end of a compelling season.
But realistically - with City having a two-point advantage - that was always a long shot and there was never any hint that the nerve-jangling final-day drama of their title win two years ago would be repeated.
It was raining heavily at kick-off but the atmosphere was raucous and City approached the game with the confidence of a side that were comfortable and in control of their destiny.
City's top scorer Sergio Aguero was back in their side after injury but not at his sharpest, although on this occasion his brilliance was not needed.
Battle: Joe Hart jumps highest to collect the ball under a challenge from West Ham's Kevin Nolan
On target: Samir Nasri opened the scoring for Manchester City just six minutes before the interval
Rousing reception: Manchester City fans welcome their team on to the pitch for their clash against West Ham
Pitch invasion: Fans run on to the turf to celebrate Manchester City's Premier League triumph
French fancy: Nasri and Zabaleta are all smiles following the former Arsenal man's goal at the Etihad
West Ham did play more positively than the previous visitors to Eastlands, Aston Villa in midweek, but the occasions they threatened were still few and far between.
The hosts appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty early on after Mark Noble deflected a Pablo Zabaleta cross onto his hand.
Their first real chance came after David Silva and Aguero combined well on the edge of the box.
Yaya Toure's initial effort was blocked before Silva volleyed over from a Zabaleta cross.
Zabaleta then wanted a penalty after going down under a challenge from Mohamed Diame before Aguero showed some nimble footwork to spark an attack from inside his own half.
Tussle: Pablo Zabaleta and George McCartney vie for the ball in their Premier League showdown at the Etihad
On the ball: Sergio Aguero sidesteps a tackle from West Ham defender George McCartney
Flying high: Nasri celebrates his opener with Zabaleta as the home fans go wild at the Etihad Stadium
Moment of magic: Fans rush on to the pitch to celebrate Manchester City's title triumph
Final-day delight: The Etihad pitch was rammed with supporters at the final whistle
The ball was worked across the field and Aguero tried to finish from distance but slipped as he shot and Adrian saved comfortably.
Nasri then had a good cross turned behind and Toure curled a shot narrowly wide as news filtered through that Liverpool had fallen behind in their game against Newcastle.
City maintained the pressure, with Aleksandar Kolarov forcing Adrian to tip over a powerful drive from distance.
Nasri finally broke through six minutes before the interval as he took aim from 20 yards and struck a powerful low shot which went in off the post after a possible touch from Adrian.
City fans then increased the volume significantly and Aguero glanced a header wide before Silva saw an effort deflected onto the bar off Carroll.
City truly got the party started four minutes into the second half when Kompany stabbed home from six yards after Edin Dzeko won the ball from a corner. The City captain celebrated with unconfined joy.
West Ham did make a rare charge to the City end but Matt Taylor's mistimed shot bounced wide.
Aguero had two opportunities to extend City's lead but headed wide at the near post and then failed to connect in front of an open goal from a Zabaleta cross.
Aguero appeared to pick up another knock in the closing moments and he showed his frustration by bundling over Noble off the ball.
That sparked an unecessary scuffle between several players of both sides and Aguero was eventually booked, but it could not dampen City's celebrations.
They knew the job was completed and the hosts duly played out the closing minutes with little alarm to prompt a pitch invasion and jubilant scenes.
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