Whilst having a disappointing season by the ambitious club’s high standards, Manchester City finished their season in a rich vein of form, winning six consecutive games to finish the campaign on 79 points.
After a turbulent season, City again found their stride towards the latter stages of the season, ending a run of four defeats in six games by taking the maximum points available to comfortably finish second in the league table. Whilst labelled as a club in ‘crisis’ after a humiliating defeat to Manchester United, City fought back and silenced their critics to finish four points ahead of Arsenal and nine points clear of Manchester United.
A day of mixed feelings enveloped the Etihad Stadium yesterday after the Citizens’ 2-0 victory over Southampton to finish the season. The feelings of an end of an era were prominent as Yaya Toure and James Milner were both substituted in the second half to standing ovations from the home ground. Both players clapped to the fans and took a slow walk off. Was this them showing their appreciation to the fans for their support this season, or was it a case of Manchester City’s bittersweet farewells to two former league-winning players?
Simarly, during the club’s customary lap of honour after the full time whistle, the fans bore witness to Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic, neither of whom have had successful seasons at the club. Disgruntled reactions from City fans on social media highlighted how both players paraded round at full-time with hands in their pockets, looking somewhat uninterested, and fuelling speculation of a move away from the club in the summer.
Whilst uncertainty surrounds some players’ futures, one player definitely departing the club in the summer and with the affection of the Etihad crowd behind him is Frank Lampard. Premier League legend Lampard was given the City captain’s armband for the final game of the season and capped off his magnificent English career with a trademark goal to put the Blues ahead. The Englishman leaves the Premier League to join the City’s sister club, New York City FC and bows out of the Premier League with 609 appearances, 177 goals, four Premier Leagues, two League Cups and four FA Cups.
Whilst celebrating the career of a legend at the end of the game, arguably already two club legends in the form of Aguero and Hart celebrated their Golden Boot and Glove awards at full-time with the City fans after their presentations were made on the pitch.
Whilst the City fans enjoy the celebrations at the end of this season celebrating the players leaving the club and the success of some of the individual performances over the season, a flourish at the end of the season masks what has been a subdued campaign.
A big summer of transfers lay ahead for the Blues with rumours of an overhaul of City’s ‘ageing’ squad set to take place. City fans can sit back and enjoy eleven weeks of speculation until the Premier League starts again. Manchester City have bounced back from disappointing seasons before. One season without silverware only makes the fans, players and staff desperate to win more.
