Arsenal ran them close, but in the end had to settle for second place in the Premier League this season. Manchester City were crowned champions, without even kicking a ball, after the Gunners were beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday evening.
City put the icing on the cake when their much-changed side saw off Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, before lifting the Premier League trophy in front of their fans.
Arsenal were top of the table for much of the campaign, but faltered at the last, letting slip an eight-point lead with three defeats and three draws in their last eight matches to hand City the advantage.
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City duly took it, showing their imperious end of season form with 12 consecutive victories. Pep Guardiola's side have two games remaining and could end the season as many as 13 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal.
It has been an extraordinary season for Arsenal, who let slip Champions League football to bitter rivals Tottenham last year in finishing fifth. This year has echoes of that, albeit on a grander scale, with Aaron Ramsdale admitting as much after the defeat at the City Ground.
He said: "It’s just the way it’s happened, it’s a similar taste to last year as well, so it’s another learning curve for us. But, yeah, when we look back it will be a season to be proud of for Arsenal Football Club and a season to be proud of as players.
"The disappointment is not going to come from not winning the league, it’s going to come from how it’s ended up playing out. We will be really proud of ourselves, but we do have to look in the mirror and we have to be the first ones to own up to our mistakes and where we went wrong, because that’s how we learn and get better."
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