Five reasons Manchester City beat Liverpool to the title

1. Guardiola continues to prove himself to be one of the world’s best

With Liverpool having what would turn out to be the third-best points total in Premier League history, it took a special effort for Guardiola’s men to rattle off 98 points and one-up their rivals at every turn. The lead at the top of the table changed hands 32 times over the course of the season as the two titans of English football consistently matched each other’s results in the second half of the campaign. The mental fortitude Guardiola has instilled in his City side is remarkable; in previous title defenses, City have completely collapsed and fallen far below expectations.

Previous coaches Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, despite their successes, proved unable to maximize the talent of the City squad over the course of multiple seasons. On the other hand, Guardiola is well on his way to establishing a dynasty, with two consecutive Carabao Cup and Premier League titles, with the possibility of an unprecedented domestic treble on the horizon in the FA Cup final against Watford.

Guardiola’s ideal vision of a Manchester City side has come to fruition in the last two seasons with the Blues recording a record-breaking 198 points over the last two campaigns. Astonishingly, City followed up the best season in league history with the second-best points total the next year as the Blues begin to be viewed as one of the greatest sides in English football’s history.

The Catalan is a ruthless trophy winner, with 26 titles over an astonishing 11-year career, making him the most decorated active manager in European football as well as the best trophies-per-year coach in the sport’s history (2.36). Simply put, this team would not have been near Liverpool without their manager, who continues to prove himself to be one of the all-time greats.