Pep Guardiola has done the impossible. Manchester City’s record-breaking season has come to an end and The Sky Blues were undoubtedly unrivalled – in a season where crowning City English Premier League champions was all a matter of time. All in a league that’s considered one of the toughest in the world.
Prior to winning, Guardiola himself said the league was even harder than the Uefa Champions League.
“You cannot imagine,” he told reporters. “It is every three days for our side and everybody else. It is the most difficult thing.”
And now his team is being hailed as one of the greatest Premier League sides of all time. With the ongoing debate on which is the best Premier League side ever, particularly if you think of the achievements of Arsenal's "Invincibles" in 2003/04 and the Manchester United side of 1998/99.
Man City smashed a whopping 11 records this season, and we’ve picked out just five of the most mind-blowing.
1. The most points in a season. The Citizens became the first team in English history to reach 100 points thanks to Gabriel Jesus' injury-time winner on Sunday. Before the team reached triple digits, the previous Premier League record was 95 points – set by José Mourinho's Chelsea in 2004/05.
2. Most goals in a season. The Sky Blues finished the season with 106 goals in all competitions. They scored at a rate of over 2,8 goals per game. The team beat the Carlo Ancelotti-led Chelsea’s record of 103 goals in the 2009/10 season.
3. Most wins in a season. Guardiola ensured even the most recent records were broken. After Antonio Conte's Chelsea took the Premier League by storm with a record 30 wins in the 2016/17 season, City broke the record with a whopping 32 wins in 38 games.
4. Winning the title with the biggest margin. Manchester United finished 19 points behind City. This saw City break the record set by Sir Alex Ferguson's side when they won the 1999/00 season 18 points clear of Arsenal.
5. Most consecutive wins. Another one of Conte’s records smashed by Guardiola, which was jointly held by Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal. Arsenal and Chelsea held the record with 13 straight victories, but City leaped to an 18-game straight victory this season.
