| Date: 13/05/2012 Time: 09:11:00 PM |
Manchester City were crowned English Premier
League champions for the first time in 44 years on Sunday, just two points
ahead of the dethroned former champions Manchester United.
The two teams were equal on points and the last match of the campaign was
the determiner of who would be crowned champions.
City were a goal down against an astute Queens Park Rangers side at home
from the 65th minute up until the end of the game, until scoring two goals in
the last minute of the match and completely over-turning their fortunes.
Djibril Cisse canceled out Pablo Zabaleta's earlier goal in the 48th
minute, before Jamie Mackie's shot in the 65th minute looked as if Manchester
City's fate had been sealed - with a draw not enough to make the side
champions as their title rivals on the other end were winning their match.
QPR kept a countless City assault at bay, but the tables suddenly turned as
strikers Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero both fired successively in the last
minute of the match for a 3-2 victory that sent the home fans at the Etihad
into a complete frenzy and onto the pitch in the droves.
Title rivals, Manchester United kept their end of the bargain, defeating
Sunderland away, 1-0. But their win did little to alter the standings as their
city rivals were eight goals up on difference.
City added one more title to a modest two (1968, 1937) they have won in
their life-long history, against their juggernaut 19-time holder neighbours.
Meanwhile, in the race for Champions' League spots between the third and
fourth-placed clubs, Arsenal scraped a 3-2 victory over West Bromwich Albion
to secure their third place and automatic qualification to the European
competition of elites.
Despite beating Fulham on the day, Tottenham Hotspur settled for fourth,
only one point under their north London rivals, awaiting Chelsea's performance
in the current Champions League final, which if won could send them to next
year's tournament on behalf of the fourth-placed North Londoners. |