MANCHESTER CITY IS BACK

 

Image Credit – Manchester City FC.

In the last decade and a half, Manchester City has emerged as the most successful football club in England. Be it the Premier League, FA Cup or Carabao Cup, they have won it all. Moreover, in 2023 they also won the elusive UEFA Champions League title and thus completed their trophy cabinet. Manager Pep Guardiola has literally transformed Manchester City FC into a world-champion side. Yes, they won before him as well, but it is Pep who made them unstoppable. Winning 4 Premier League titles on a trot is no joke. Even in the Carabao Cup, their winning streak is simply unbelievable.

However, in the last couple of years, Manchester City have not been at their best. Though they did win silverware here and there, it was still considered a failed season because they have raised their standards incredibly high. Moreover, after getting knocked out of this year's Champions League, the critics wrote them off. But, to everyone's surprise, the men in blue are back in form. First, they defeated Arsenal in the finals of the Carabao Cup and won their first silverware of the season. Yesterday they thrashed Liverpool out of the FA Cup and marched their way forward into the semi-finals. It is pertinent to note that it is a normal win. It's a landslide. Afterall, a 4-0 win against arch-rivals is a statement of intent that they are coming to Wembley for the trophy.

Interestingly, Manchester City are 9 points behind the Gunners with one additional game in hand. Moreover, they will also be facing Arsenal in the Etihad. Can City win the league? Will Arsenal bottle it again? The answer to all of this lies in the womb of time. But one thing is for sure. The next 2 months are going to be a blockbuster because Manchester City is Back. 

THE BOTTLERS

 

Image Credit – Al Jazeera

A month ago, Arsenal FC were targeting a historic quadruple, as they were dominating every competition in which they were playing. However, in the final stages of the season, they have started the bottle game all over again. Firstly, they lost to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup finals at Wembley. Now they have been knocked out from the quarter-final round of the FA Cup. However, this time the defeat is painful; after all, the same has come against Southampton, who are not even competing in the Premier League. To be more precise, the men from Southampton are presently ranked 7 in the Second Division of English football. So losing them is definitely not acceptable.

The author fairly believes in the egalitarian nature of the game of football. But a club that is competing in the UEFA Champions League can't play like this and lose to a championship team. Moreover, with a defeat in the FA Cup, the dreams of a treble are over. The question now remains: will they win any silverware this season or not? The Champions League is an unpredictable tournament. So one cannot say anything about it. Yes, they have a big lead in the Premier League, but looking into their current performance, one cannot even say what they will do in their last 7 games wherein they have to face Manchester City and Newcastle United.

It's now more than 21 years since Arsenal last lifted the Premier League Title. Will the wait end this year, or will the disappointment go on? The answer lies in the womb of time.