Pep
Guardiola’s side have been focused on rewriting the record books since
clinching the English title almost a month ago and they added one last landmark
achievement on the final day of the season.
Gabriel
Jesus struck with virtually the last kick at St Mary’s to take City to the
century mark in suitably dramatic fashion.
Guardiola’s
wild celebration with his backroom staff showed what it meant to the Spaniard
for City to achieve yet another incredible feat.
City’s
100-point haul comes after they set a new Premier League points record by
beating Brighton in midweek, taking them past the total set by Chelsea in
2004-05.
They
have also scored the most goals in a single Premier League campaign (106), won
the most games (32) and amassed the most consecutive victories (18) in a season
that has seen them ranked along with the best teams in the history of English
football.
City
finished 19 points clear of second-placed Manchester United — the biggest
title-winning margin in the Premier League era — to emphasis the gap
between the runaway champions and the chasing pack.
Fortunately
for fourth bottom Southampton, the defeat didn’t matter in their battle to
avoid relegation as third bottom Swansea lost against Stoke, ensuring Mark
Hughes’ side avoided the drop by three points.
City
are due to celebrate their title success with an open-top bus parade through
the streets of Manchester on Monday.
But
they had no intention of letting the impending party distract them on the south
coast.
City
controlled first-half possession before Saints defender Wesley Hoedt headed
against Claudio Bravo’s crossbar from a Dusan Tadic corner.
Guardiola’s
men pushed hard in the second half and Raheem Sterling struck the right-hand
post with a deflected effort before John Stones’ header from the resultant
corner was tipped over by Alex McCarthy.
Guardiola
introduced youngsters Brahim Diaz and Phil Foden late on, ensuring both players
have registered five appearances to earn a Premier League medal — with Foden
becoming the youngest ever winner at 17 years and 350 days old.
The
game appeared to heading for a draw but, six years to the day since Sergio
Aguero’s last-second title-winning goal for City against QPR, Jesus found space
in the final moments to lift the ball over McCarthy and spark mayhem among the
travelling fans.
AFP
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