Manchester City became the first Premier League side to reach the 100 point mark in a season after beating Southampton 1-0 at St Mary’s Stadium on Sunday afternoon, writes DEAN WORKMAN.
The Champions were chasing a prestigious record heading into the game, while Southampton came into the game knowing that they only had to avoid a heavy defeat to stay in the Premier League.
As has become the norm this season Pep Guardiola’s team dominated the possession of the ball, but this time the possession did not have the same intensity and penetration which has proved so difficult to deal with.
Southampton had an early chance to open the scoring. Wesley Hoedt met Dusan Tadic’s corner but saw his header smash against the upright with just eight minutes played.
City were struggling to create any clear-cut chances until Raheem Sterling went close after 39 minutes. The English winger cut between two defenders before unleashing his shot from outside the box, but his shot flew just over.
Goalless at the break with the record chasing City not doing enough to be ahead.
Guardiola would have been looking for a better half from his side and they came close to opening the scoring after 61 minutes. Leroy Sane drilled the ball into the box, where it pinballed off a number of Southampton defenders, before Sterling’s shot was deflected over the cross-bar.
Southampton had a glorious chance to open the scoring in 78th minute. Claudio Bravo came flying off his line and misjudged a Oriol Romeu effort, the midfielder laid a pass to Tadic on the left to drill home, but Gabriel Jesus somehow cleared it off the line by a mere fraction.
Just as it looked as though City were going to fall short of the record, Jesus popped up to grab a winner in the dying minutes. Kevin De Bryune chipped the ball into the box and Jesus was on hand to lob the ball over Alex McCarthy to win the game.
1-0 the final score and City are the first team to reach 100 points in a Premier League season.
Other results on the final day of the Premier League:
• Burnley 1-2 Bournemouth
• Crystal Palace 2-0 West Bromwich Albion
• Huddersfield Town 0-1 Arsenal
• Manchester United 1-0 Watford
• Newcastle United 3-0 Chelsea
• Liverpool 4-0 Brighton and Hove Albion
• Swansea City 1-2 Stoke City
• Tottenham Hotspurs 5-4 Leicester City
• West Ham United 3-1 Everton
