On April 15 2018 Manchester City won the Premier League Title, but many of us did not realise as no one really expected it to happen on that day!
A year ago Manchester City won the title on a day that they did not play a single game.
City fans had expected to be crowned Champions in the weeks before when they faced Manchester United at home but a spirited display saw the visitors fight back to claim an unlikely victory. City pressed on though and won 3:1 away from home at Wembley against Tottenham and as the fixtures began to run out, the title loomed like a formality upon the horizon.
On Sunday 15 April 2018 second placed Manchester United were playing the bottom of the league West Bromwich Albion in the afternoon televised game. There was not a single pundit around predicting anything other than a stroll in the park for United and accordingly most City fans decided to spend their afternoon planning a different activity rather than watching the game on the television.
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To put this into perspective, United sat in second spot and West Brom were 11 points adrift at the foot of the table. It took a 73rd minute goal from jay Rodriguez to change that though and write a new script. United had been lethargic throughout the game, looking like they were already focussed on their holidays. The West Brom goal created a buzz on social media but most City fans still ignored the game, believing goals in Fergie time would rectify the situation.
It was not to be though and instead West Brom claimed the victory. United fans who had scoffed at City a couple of weeks earlier for failing to beat United and win the title at home, were now in the position of having gifted City the title at Old Trafford. City fans delighted in the realisation that rather than just 3000 United fans watching us claim the title at the Etihad some 75000 had in fact watched us win it at Old Trafford!
I had not been watching the United game but with a few minutes to go until the end of the match my mobile phone started to thrum with the sound of incessant texts and notifications. Within seconds of the final whistle, like many City fans I was able to join in and celebrate as the realisation of the title win began to reach the fanbase and the players.
Famously even Guardiola did not know the title had been won because he was playing golf with friends. Vincent Kompany was sat with family – including some United supporters – and pretty much started the celebrations on Instagram and twitter.
It is hard to believe all of that excitement and joy – was 12 months ago! And it is absolutely amazing to think that a year later we stand at the cusp of another title!