Manchester City secure a second Premier League title in 3 seasons

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Sunday?s final day of the league season victory at city?s eastlands ground crowned a triumphant first english campaign in charge for manuel pellegrini the chilean manager celebrating his first domestic championship in europe.

manchester city players celebrate with the premier league trophy after the match against west ham united at the etihad stadium on sunday. — getty images

goals from samir nasri and skipper vincent kompany saw manchester city to a 2-0 win over west ham as they claimed their second premier league title in three seasons.

sunday’s final day of the league season victory at city’s eastlands ground crowned a triumphant first english campaign in charge for manuel pellegrini the chilean manager celebrating his first domestic championship in europe.

winners of the league cup earlier in the year city added the championship in fairly routine fashion. while city’s main challengers liverpool faltered in the past two weeks — notably in losing at home to chelsea and squandering a three-goal lead to draw at crystal palace — the unflappable pellegrini ensured his club kept their composure culminating in sunday’s victory over sam allardyce’s hammers.

by the time nasri shot city into a 40th minute lead the pressure around eastlands had already been lifted considerably with the surprise news from anfield that liverpool had fallen behind to newcastle. that left pellegrini’s team in the position of potentially being able to lose to west ham and still regain the title they won so memorably on the final day of the season in 2012.

nonetheless defeat seemed highly unlikely with city enjoying 75 per cent of the possession prior to the opening goal. inevitably city made the pressure count before the half-time whistle as yaya toure played a short ball to nasri and the visiting defenders showed a rare lapse in concentration by backing off the midfielder.

that invited the france international to attempt a shot which nasri duly did producing a sweetly-struck right-foot effort which flew in via the left-hand post and a slight touch from diving goalkeeper adrian. as they had done in securing a vital midweek victory over aston villa city showed admirable patience prior to nasri’s strike prodding and probing at the opposition’s defence without offering them any hope on the counter-attack.

it took until the 18th minute for sergio aguero recalled after a lengthy injury lay-off to test adrian with a 25-yard shot which was comfortably saved and just as news filtered through of the opening goal at anfield toure’s curling shot just missed the target from the edge of the area.

aleksandar kolarov’s spectacular 30-yard attempt was tipped over acrobatically by adrian and aguero showed nimble footwork on the by-line only for his drag-back to be skied over the target by edin dzeko from six yards. after the goal aguero’s glancing header flew just wide and david silva’s shot was deflected onto the bar as city sought to ensure they enjoyed an anxiety-free second half.

ultimately it required only four minutes of that second period for city to kill off the contest and ensure their 17th home victory in 19 league games this season. nasri’s left-wing corner was met by dzeko who neatly twisted to turn the ball goalwards directly into the path of kompany who swept the ball in from six yards.

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