Together: 4-In-A-Row (2024) Movie Script
[]
Announcer 1:
The champions of 2021
are Manchester City!
Announcer 2:
Kevin De Bruyne!
Gndoan!
The winners and still
the champions of the land,
Manchester City!
Announcer 3: De Bruyne
keeps on going and hits it!
What a sensational goal!
Announcer 4:
Manchester City,
the kings
of English football again!
Gary Lineker: I think most
of us in the football world,
the neutrals,
we're thinking,
are Manchester City
completely unbeatable?
Seema Jaswal: Teams had managed
to do three in a row.
Huddersfield Town back in
the '20s had done it.
Arsenal back in the '30s.
Liverpool in the '80s.
And then of course
City's biggest rivals,
Manchester United had
recently won three on the spin.
But there's a reason that nobody
had managed
to win four in a row
because it's
virtually impossible.
-I think a lot of us
were thinking
surely there comes a point
where you just can't
keep churning out
great performance
after great performance.
-There's only one thing that is
more difficult than winning.
It's winning again.
You have to be at the top
of your game constantly
during the season.
-Khaldoon Al Mubarak:
You know, we have to always
sometimes pause
and contextualise.
In over a hundred years
of English football,
never any team was able
to achieve
four championships in a row.
So once that sinks in,
you start really appreciating
the magnitude, the difficulty,
the challenge,
the tenacity required.
[]
Lineker: My instinct was that
the most likely successor
would be Arsenal.
Man 1: This feels like
a different Arsenal side
with a different mentality
and that belief that actually,
"This is our season."
Man 2: They've added strength
to them,
they've added quality.
They look ready
for the challenge.
Man 3: The only team really
that's proven
that they can run them
really close
is Jrgen Klopp at Liverpool.
Man 4: I just think Liverpool
have got a manager
who's been there
and done it before.
There has to be
a massive improvement.
Woman 1: You always know
that going toe to toe with them
will be a battle.
Man 5: They're all
within their rights
to believe they can do this.
Man 6: They must be looking
and going,
"This is as good a chance
as we've had
for a number of years."
[]
[players yelling]
[birds chirping]
Man: Rodri. Rodri.
[announcer speaking Spanish]
Announcer 1:
Coming onto it now to shoot!
Announcer 2: Goal!
Announcer 3: The greatest story
in club history
has an ending
and what a final chapter!
Announcer 4: They have done it.
They've done the Treble.
They've won
the Champions League finally.
[]
[cheering]
Jack Gaughan:
I think when you do
something like they did
with the Treble,
there's gonna be
a subconscious drop-off.
An element of, sort of,
hangover is going to exist.
It's human nature.
-For City, having achieved
absolutely everything
that anyone could dream of
as a player,
you think,
"How do you go again?"
Txiki Begiristain: You have to
see the reaction to something
that is absolutely exceptional.
That is to win the Treble.
What we could see is that
there was still that hunger.
Pep Guardiola: So after
the Treble, uh, you don't know,
even myself,
how we would react,
how we would be.
-I think probably one
of the great strengths
of-of Pep Guardiola
is his drive and his energy
and his ability to motivate
the players season after season.
Now you'd think "Well,
they're playing football.
They wanna play football,
and they are competitive."
Yes, we are.
But if you drop even 1%,
then you're in trouble.
-In psychology,
we talk about different,
different types of motivation.
So you have this kind of
pure extrinsic motivation.
"I-I-I do things because
I wanna win prizes"
et cetera, et cetera.
And then you have
a pure intrinsic motivation,
which is, "I do it
because I love the game."
And although the prize is
that the Treble last year
was a fantastic achievement,
the essence of why they play
the game doesn't shift.
[exclaims]
-I think you look at all of
the great teams that have played
in the Premier League
over the number of years,
they've never gone
and done four in a row.
That had to give us
the fuel and the fire
to do something
that no one has ever done.
Jaswal: So the transfer window
in England is really
an opportunity for clubs
to strengthen,
to better what they had
from the season before.
Ferran Soriano: Over the years,
we've learnt that
in order to keep
the team hungry
and the team sharp,
we need to make changes.
-Man: Let's talk
about Manchester City.
Woman: I actually think
they've done good business,
and I think we've got
to trust in Pep Guardiola.
Man: They have
a player that ticks
all of the boxes
that they need.
Woman: How does
any team go about
taking that title away
from you?
Soriano: We have
to be very selective.
And I think we have
the best coach
in the world in Pep.
And we have
the best football director
in the world with Txiki.
So the transfer window,
if I have to remember,
it was a bit awful
at least for,
at least for me.
Because after doing the Treble,
everyone was confused.
The ones that were, uh,
the protagonists
of those, those trophies,
they were thinking that
they should get-get more
or new contracts
and taking the opportunity.
And the other ones that
they were not playing finals,
they were really, uh,
how to I say?
Pissed off.
And they were,
they were trying
to-to-to get out
from the club.
-For Manchester City,
this window
was really interesting
in terms of incomings
and outgoings.
And there were certainly
a few surprises.
-I think most of us in the game
thought that
perhaps Manchester City
had given away a bit of grounds
in the transfer window
because we saw a couple
of big name players go out.
Gndoan obviously went
to Barcelona,
and Mahrez went to Saudi.
That's a lot of goals
and a lot of assists
going out of your team.
And of course
Cole Palmer as well
who turned out to be
a fantastic signing.
That may be maybe
a little mistake
from Manchester City there.
But one thing I've noticed
about Pep is...
it doesn't seem
to ever bother him
or worry about
players leaving.
If they want to go,
if it's their time,
"Off you go, I'll get
someone else in.'
Begiristain:
We have to do these things.
We have to refresh the squad,
we have to move the squad.
We have to give also
to the manager new tools.
Begiristain: Mateo was coming
with a lot of experience
and some profile
that we didn't have.
He is that, uh, midfielder
that driving the ball.
He-he break lines.
Reporter: That's it,
nice and close guys, ready?
Mateo Kovai: They just love
to-to speak about football.
How they want me
to-to play.
What kind of positions
they see me in.
And what I can bring
to the team.
-Where is my friend,
Mateo Kovai?
Lineker:
A significant signing this.
Much sought after.
A lot of clubs wanted him.
I think we all thought that
Gvardiol was a good signing.
We'd seen him
in the World Cup,
um, where he was
incredibly impressive.
We all thought that he was
gonna be a central defender,
but you never know what
Pep's gonna do with players.
Pep sees things
in a different way
to-to a lot of people.
Gvardiol: It's-it's much easier
when I have, uh,
these players around me.
I have everything here
what I need to,
to, to become
a better player,
to become a better person.
Reporter: Manchester City
have confirmed the signing
of Matheus Nunes.
Guardiola:
I think with the new ones,
they, they settle
and they realise
how we behave,
what are our standards,
and what we have
to do to defend it.
You cannot imagine how it helps
to keep the team stable.
The players,
they don't want to leave.
They are in the top
of the world.
And what a better place
to win trophies?
Reporter: We've got some
breaking news to bring you.
Sky Germany are reporting
that Bayern Munich
are interested
in Manchester City's
Kyle Walker.
-So it was
an interesting time
because Gndoan
had left the club,
Mahrez had left the club.
But then the rumours started
to surface about Kyle Walker
going to Bayern Munich,
potentially.
-Well, I think
I've been very open
that, you know,
I kind of thought
that maybe I wasn't going
to play
enough football
as what I wanted to do.
I had an offer there
that was, that was two years.
Um, I wanna play football at
the highest level as possible.
And I'd been having
a conversation,
you know, with Txiki,
with Pep.
It made sense.
[indistinct chatter]
I'm not leaving.
I'm not leaving!
[all cheering]
The show goes on!
This is my home.
You know, this is the best
footballing team in the world
right now, at the minute,
with the manager that we've got,
with the players that we've got.
To be voted club captain
when Gndo left,
it was, you know,
it was very special,
but I made it quite clear
to, you know, the five of us,
the four that was,
you know, Kevin, Rben,
Rodri, and Bernardo that,
you know, it's not just my voice
that you are gonna hear.
I want it to be
a collective thing
where we're all
in it together,
and we all make
decisions together.
[laughter]
Man: All right,
all right, guys, cool.
Top!
Thank you, thank you.
Guardiola: In the beginning
we spoke, we cannot...
you know, the height
of the mountain,
we cannot climb it,
uh... immediately.
So in the first month,
we were talking about,
okay, time to get points
in the beginning.
In the first games, you don't
win the Premier League,
but you can lose it.
[]
[fans cheering]
Announcer: So here we go again,
a trip to Burnley.
Match day one of 38 fixtures
that lay ahead
for Manchester City
in the 23-24
Premier League season.
Pep Guardiola's team
have been champions
for the last
three campaigns.
And if they finish top again,
they will make
English football history
by becoming the only team
to win four titles in a row.
[]
Announcer: And it's headed
back across to Haaland
who's already made his mark!
He's started his second
Premier League season
as he started his first!
Begiristain: Every day
they have to go out
and get the pain
or the rain
or the bad weather
or whatever.
They could see that
there is something big
waiting for them.
-All of us,
we are aware that,
well, maybe in our careers
we will not be again here.
So that's why they wanna try
to do it.
Announcer: Now, Foden.
And in behind Burn.
Julin Alvarez,
side to Foden.
That's all he needs!
[fans cheering]
Announcer:
It's been seven years
since the champions
have won each
of their first three
league games
of the season.
Announcer: Here's Walker.
Pulled back for Foden.
Got away from him
but not from Rodri!
And what a bullet
of a finish!
And Manchester City
showing again
why they are
constant champions!
The last time that City began
a Premier League season
with four wins
was back in Pep Guardiola's
first campaign in charge.
Announcer 2: Rodri again,
through the gap to Alvarez.
Haaland's onto that!
You know the rest!
Sergio Gomez, Haaland!
Another hat-trick!
The best team on the planet
are on the march again!
Announcer: And as
the second half gets underway,
Manchester City on the hunt
to get themselves level
in a game
they find themselves behind.
Alvarez to Doku, who had
a bright first half at times.
And here he goes...
Oh, it's a moment of quality
for this new talent
in the Premier League!
-Not bad. [chuckles]
Announcer: His first goal
for Manchester City.
And what a first goal!
-Flash. He is the Flash!
-Fast, explosive.
-Absolutely electric.
-I was happy that I could show
the real Jrmy in that game.
Announcer: The champions pass
another challenge
with their customary quality.
Jrmy Doku's
brilliant equaliser
allowed Manchester City
the platform to turn
this game around.
And that's exactly
what they did.
-I'm better in football,
that's for sure.
[laughter]
man: Ooh!
Jaswal: So although things
were going really well,
Manchester City were top
of the table,
when the news broke about
Kevin De Bruyne's injury
and the fact that
we were learning
he'd be out for months.
At the time,
the pundits and everyone
in the media were discussing,
"Is this now the moment
where things could change?"
-Basically,
I'm a 32-year-old
football player
who's been playing
for 15 years,
almost 700 games.
Sometimes goes too hard.
And now basically,
my hamstring was
a "wet paper towel."
That's what they called it
after surgery.
-As a professional player,
you will get injured sometimes.
Tha-that is a fact.
[players exclaim]
Donough Holohan: The key thing
you have to remember in this
is that every injury is unique.
So every time
we get an injury,
it's a new problem
that we have to solve.
There are many people
who need to come together
to get the player back
where he can compete
at the highest level again.
[]
-You'll never have seen
a dead leg
like this in your life.
I've never, ever felt pain
like it.
The bleed can be like,
like, six, seven,
eight centimetres,
which would be a bad one.
Mine was 20 centimetres.
So it was literally like
the whole of my quad really.
-There are two
very important things.
First, that you
do not disconnect.
So we had injured players
going to the games,
going to the dressing room.
And second, that you have
the patience,
the perspective to know that
you'll go through some pain,
you'll be watching the game
from the sidelines,
and it will be painful
but you will get back.
Soriano:
You always get back.
For that,
you need mental strength.
And I think
all professional players
at the top of the game
have this mental strength.
-I mean,
you are expecting maybe
some injuries to players
or whatever.
But-but Pep was really suffering
a lot of pain in his back.
It was, it was,
it was terrible.
Announcer: They might be
top of the table,
but Manchester City
not only have
to contend with injuries
to some key players
at the moment,
this week
manager Pep Guardiola
underwent surgery on his back.
Meaning assistant manager
Juanma Lillo
will take charge today.
-I would like to be there,
but you are not able
because you are not fine.
I sustained it
for a long time,
but at the end
I arrived at a moment
that I could not...
I could not stay up,
and I could not stay, you know,
in the conditions to do it.
-And it's not only about
the-the-the manager
of Man City or whatever.
We were worried about him.
Lineker: I would imagine
stepping into the shoes
of Pep Guardiola
is quite difficult.
And for Juanma to do that,
you need to be
a big personality in yourself,
and the players need
to respect you.
-Everybody in the team has
a role, a function
and becomes very important
at some point during the season.
In the case of Juanma,
that was the moment
where he was most needed,
and he stepped up.
-Juanma is...
[exhales forcefully]
he is a big, big talent.
The only problem is
he doesn't speak English.
It's a big, big problem
for all of us.
For the team, he's been
an incredible figure.
He doesn't need
the language to communicate.
[cheering and applause]
[cheering]
Announcer: Here comes
Walker, going through.
-Looking for Foden!
-[fans cheering]
Foden over to Matheus Nunes.
He looks to leave it
for Haaland!
They've had a perfect start to
their Premier League campaign.
Five wins from five,
and they are on for
a sixth consecutive victory.
And there is a little bit of
frustration boiling over there
between Gibbs-White
and Rodri.
[dramatic music playing]
[whistle blows]
Announcer: There's a red card
for Rodri.
Announcer 2: It's just
a simple coming together
it seemed
with Morgan Gibbs-White.
And suddenly,
tempers have gone high.
Announcer 2: It's absolutely
madness from, from Rodri,
the reaction.
-It's one of these days
that, uh,
sometimes happen
in football that, uh,
you don't do the things right.
Gaughan: An incident that you
wouldn't expect from Rodri.
It put them in a...
put them in
a really difficult situation.
Bajkowski: You're always looking
to see what games they miss.
And then you see that
third game is Arsenal,
and it's panic stations a bit.
-In this kind of moments,
you don't think much
on yourself.
You think about how
the situation affects the team.
You make your teammates run,
and it wasn't necessary
to do it.
-If somebody tells you
things might get wrong,
it's a lie.
Things willget wrong.
The important thing is
how do you react
when that happens?
Walker: To miss Rodri going
to Molineux was always gonna be,
you know,
an even tougher game.
You can go there, and sometimes
they can catch you by surprise.
-[fans cheering]
-Announcer: It's in!
The Treble winners,
the league leaders
are beaten!
Man 1: I suppose the question
now for Manchester City is
are they running out
of a little bit of steam?
Man 2: What? They started
like a house on fire.
It's the start
of the season, Chris.
I don't think you can say
they're running
out of steam.
[players shouting]
[Haaland yells]
Man 3: This is
[bleep] shambolic, lads.
-I think that period
of, um, three games
that Rodri missed,
it felt like it might be
a pivotal moment
in the season.
Um, because they lost
against Wolves.
Then they went out of
the Carabao Cup as well.
And then of course
they faced Arsenal.
Announcer: This feels like
the biggest game
of the Premier League season
so far.
Manchester City were too good
for their rivals last season.
But have Arsenal been able
to bridge the gap?
[cheering]
[cheering]
Announcer: Brilliant noise
from both sets of supporters.
Now let's see if the players
can add to the spectacle.
[]
Announcer: Lifted forward
towards Tomiyasu.
And Kai Havertz.
And Martinelli...
[fans cheering]
It may be pivotal!
At last, Arsenal have cracked
the City code!
Announcer 2:
It is three domestic defeats
in a row for Manchester City.
Lineker: We'd never seen
a Pep team lose three in a row.
That couldn't happen, could it?
And then it did.
And then you sort
of thought, is this,
is this Arsenal's moment?
-The thinking was,
are City starting
to show signs
of vulnerability?
Guardiola: It is unbelievable
how we are still able
to extend this run of years
to win, win, win,
but we're going to lose games.
You don't know exactly
what is going to happen,
in which month
it's going to happen.
I don't know.
Announcer: City have won
their last three visits
to Stamford Bridge.
A continuation
of that recent run
will certainly be
a strong statement
ahead of their next three
Premier League games.
Sterling here
for Armando Broja.
He's gone over...
penalty kick!
[whistle blows]
[cheering]
Announcer: City's boy
is Chelsea's man!
Announcer: Salah.
Alexander-Arnold
has pinned one in
for Liverpool!
man: Look, it's happened
here today with the 1-1.
It's definitely a better
result for Liverpool.
City were flat.
[fans chanting]
-Yes!
-Announcer 1: Johnson.
-Kulusevski! Oh!
-Announcer 2: Oh!
Announcer 1: Three each
in the ninetieth minute!
Announcer 2: City threaten to go
the other way with Haaland.
Played early for Grealish.
Announcer 1: Oh, no.
Announcer 2: And the referee
has stopped it.
Announcer 1: Oh, no!
Man: Obviously, I think
the referee has made a mistake.
-All of sudden,
I think for the first time,
maybe under Pep, there was
a consistent lack of wins.
Announcer: City allowed
the game to drift.
They didn't seem serious enough
about the danger
that existed in the game.
And what that amounts to
without a shadow of
a doubt is a complacency.
Interviewer: Do you ever sense
complacency in our players?
-No.
-Interviewer: No?
-No. I'm there.
They will not play.
They know it.
So it doesn't matter
the name.
If they don't do
what they have to do,
uh, they will participate
less than, than normal.
Announcer: Well,
three late goals from Spurs,
Chelsea, and Liverpool
in the last three matches
cost them six points.
They begin
the evening six points
behind leaders Arsenal.
[cheering]
Announcer: Bailey deflected.
And they do have the goal
that really they do deserve!
man: Two shots
for Manchester City.
The fewest that
a Pep Guardiola team
has ever managed
in 535 league games
that he has taken charge of.
City have lost a little bit
of that intensity
and that drive.
Man 2: I think when teams
are playing against Man City,
they've lost that air
of invincibility.
-It has just been
absolutely ages
since I'd seen a City team
so dominated.
Gaughan: The performances
were... just weren't there.
They weren't
90-minute performances
that you would expect from,
from a Guardiola team.
-The question is, kind of,
how do you get City
out of this slump?
[chanting]
Announcer: Many around
the Etihad thought that
at this stage things would be
quite comfortable.
But not so.
Oh, it's a penalty!
It was Manchester City's game.
But Crystal Palace
have reeled them in!
-[crowd cheering]
- Olise scores!
The Etihad shell-shocked!
The points seemed
in the bag for the hosts.
Guardiola: I'm not really
proud sometimes.
Most of the times right after
the game when I'm angry.
For my emotions,
I do it to the players.
I'm a human being.
I make mistakes,
and I don't like that.
I don't like it.
In that moment, with 2-0 down,
it was an unnecessary penalty.
Sometimes I cannot
control myself, neither.
[bleep]
[bleep]
-Teams were scoring late goals,
crucial goals
against Manchester City.
You know, Chelsea made it
4-4 right near the end.
Kulusevski equalised
in a game late.
Trent Alexander-Arnold scored
in the 80-something minute
against them.
And it all cost them.
I actually thought at that stage
of the season
they were in trouble
in terms of winning the title.
Jaswal: So just hours after
dropping those crucial points
in the Premier League
to Crystal Palace,
they had to get on a plane
and go to Saudi Arabia
to compete in
the FIFA Club World Cup.
Walker: Well, we were going
to obviously do something
that this club
has never done before
and win the Club World Cup.
So we had to forget about that
and forget about it quickly.
Lineker: Normally you'd go,
this is a chance
for Liverpool
and Arsenal to put daylight
between them
and Manchester City.
And this has come
at the wrong time.
But I actually think
it was respite
from the relentlessness
of the Premier League.
-It felt like the Premier League
was miles away.
And they weren't
sort of worrying about it.
They had a competition to win.
It just took them away from
the bubble of English football.
-This competition,
as a club, we've never won.
And we wanna do it.
We're a bit frustrated
with what's been happening.
There is no, no time
to feel sad
because of our last game.
But I'm not gonna lie,
sometimes I feel tired.
All of us, we feel tired
for some games. It's normal.
But that's the,
that's the price that you pay
for being in a top club,
for fighting
for all competitions.
And at the end, our dream
was to play at this level.
So me personally, I'm not
gonna complain about it.
[laughter]
-They knew that
playing two games,
they were... they-they had
a chance to win a trophy
that never the club had.
And neither the players.
Everything is perfect.
Getting out from,
from maybe
from the cold winter
from Manchester
an-and going there.
And when we play for something,
this team,
they show what they are.
I don't play friendly.
Uh, but not only
because it's me.
Because the guys
I'm facing are the same.
All the guys that are here,
we've been mentality winners,
or competitors,
from we were kids.
So we don't accept
friendly games, you know?
-Pep would talk about breaking
the season down
almost into more manageable
size resets.
And we know that
breaking new ground,
achieving new things
is something
that's going
to inspire people.
[]
Announcer:
History beckons once again
for City's all conquering class
of 2023.
Ak decides to have a shot.
It's against the post.
And it's chested
into the net by Alvarez!
City are in front
in 44 seconds!
[bleep]
Announcer: Kovai frees
Alvarez, had a little look.
It's a great cross,
Phil Foden runs it in!
And runs away to celebrate.
Alvarez... wonderful!
Announcer 2: They are
the best team in the land
and all the world!
What a year!
What a team!
-The Club World Cup was
a magical moment.
Celebrating. We-we felt
we achieved something great.
-We showed the world that
we were the champions
of everything.
And this is
something remarkable.
Al Mubarak: Being able
to compete with teams
from all over the world,
outside Europe,
and then winning that trophy
and now having that badge
is absolutely fantastic.
I'm so, so proud of it.
-That just shows that we are
the best in the world.
We're the best team
in the world.
-We've always knew it.
Now it's just official!
-We are the best in the world.
And it was a tremendous,
tremendous feat.
[fireworks exploding]
Man: I think that moment
wa-was a pivotal moment
in the season.
Grealish: City! City!
The best team in the land
and all the world!
[mutters]
Lineker: All of a sudden,
that poor momentum
has gone,
and you've got
a positive momentum.
Because you're going back
to the Premier League
with another trophy.
-City winning their fifth trophy
of that calendar year
was a great achievement.
But when they returned home,
they were fifth
in the Premier League table.
So they had a bit of a mountain
to climb, really.
Announcer:
Rodri, under pressure.
Comes to McNeil...
-It's in!
-[crowd cheering]
[]
[Guardiola snapping fingers]
[crowd cheering]
Announcer: Foden! Oh!
Clean as you like.
Pickford.
And Foden!
And then it's Ak,
and they are appealing
for handball there.
Vehemently appealing
for handball.
And now the referee points
to the spot.
-We knew that we had
to return to it
full steam ahead
and, you know,
try to get a run
of games going very quickly.
[cheering]
Announcer:
And he has sealed it
for Manchester City!
And their message is clear.
"We're coming
for you all again!"
[]
Announcer: Here's Rodri.
Who's driving forward.
Still going... Rodri!
Just like that,
Manchester City have the lead!
Well, there are
huge cheers
ringing around the Etihad
at the moment
because they've seen
Kevin De Bruyne
warm up.
Well, that's what it means
to these Manchester City fans
to see him back.
Lineker: When he warmed up
and didn't come on,
there was all of a sudden
that kind of feeling
of positivity
right around the ground
at the Etihad.
[chanting]
-He's been such a talisman.
He's so talented, so good.
You could sense
every supporter was like,
"De Bruyne is back."
[]
-First of all, I have
to say that, uh, for me,
this game was the most
important game in the season.
Announcer: And Isak is in
with Walker to beat still.
And Isak...
It's a beauty.
[fans cheering]
Walker: Once they get wind
behind their sails,
it's a, it's a really
tough place
to play football
there.
Announcer:
Anthony Gordon!
[cheering]
Lightning strikes again!
And Newcastle, thrillingly,
have turned this game
on its head.
-I think you looked around
at the faces,
and you kind of think,
"Oh, here we go again."
Lineker: When Manchester City
were losing at Newcastle,
they would never admit it,
the other teams
in the title race,
they never do.
But Arsenal and Liverpool
will be thinking,
"We've got a chance here..."
If they lose this one,
they're really in trouble
in this title race.
[]
Announcer:
Still no joy for City.
Lineker: Every player,
for both of those sides,
would have been desperate
for Newcastle
to hang onto
that one goal lead.
Announcer: De Bruyne has been
called back from warming up.
He's gonna be
coming on shortly.
stadium Announcer: Number 17,
Kevin De Bruyne.
De Bruyne: I came in the game,
and it went so quickly.
I felt like I was only
on the pitch
for a couple of minutes.
Announcer: So the return
to the Premier League stage
of one of
its finest entertainers.
[]
De Bruyne takes aim
and marks his return
to the Premier League stage.
Draws his side back on terms
and shows Guardiola and co
precisely what
they've been missing!
Man: De Bruyne's performance,
dear me!
Woman: I mean, it was just
an inspired Kevin De Bruyne.
De Bruyne: I just wanted to try
and make a difference.
And it couldn't be
a better way
to come back
into the Premier League.
Announcer: De Bruyne.
What a ball towards Bobb.
And Oscar Bobb tucks it in
for what may prove to be
the decisive goal!
But what about the setup
from Kevin De Bruyne?
It's the hallmark of champions.
Stoppage time.
Deep midwinter.
Difficult away game.
They have trailed
for a while
but are likely to end
with their noses in front.
Walker: When you get
that type of player
that you've been missing,
I was saying to Rben,
"Listen, we just get
in touching distance
"for when Kevin's back,
we know we've got it."
[cheering]
[whistling]
[]
-A moment like that turning
that game around on its head,
I think it transformed
the whole feeling
at the football club
and made them believe again.
[indistinct chatter]
-So City were back on track,
they were looking really strong,
but Arsenal and Liverpool
were holding strong
at the top of the table.
So at that point
it really did feel like
we were in for
a huge three-way title race.
Man 1: Yet more
twists and turns.
Does this title race
really feel
like it could be a classic?
Woman: We've said it all along,
Manchester City
just have that know-how.
Man 2: You can't
write off Arsenal
because they've been fantastic
since the turn of the year.
Man 3: I just think Liverpool
at the moment, for me,
I just think they are the ones.
I do think some of these
top teams will drop points.
Woman: I think you could
look at each team,
Manchester City, Arsenal,
and Liverpool
and raise a good argument
for why they'd win it.
Man 4: My head says City,
but I think
Liverpool will win it.
Man 5: You went Arsenal,
I've gone City.
I'm going to stick with City.
Man 6: It changes very quickly.
It's just, every week
it's relentless.
Man 7: Pep saying here,
"We do love the pressure,
and this is the stage
where we come alive."
Man 8: The more of a challenge
they have,
the more they rise
to the occasion.
Announcer: What a hat-trick.
What a player.
Man 9: Arsenal are gonna sort of
be in the situation
that Liverpool have been in
where, in any normal era
would have seen them
be champions comfortably.
-We have to do it again
and again and again.
Announcer: Erling Haaland wins
the game for the champions!
Man 10: We all could disagree
about who it's going to be.
It's going to go
right to the wire.
[tense music plays]
Begiristain: Three months
to, to the end of the season.
We have survived
after to win the Treble
and what it, what it means
to manage that.
I think we have survived
some difficult situations
with the injuries of Kevin,
the less minutes
of Jack Grealish.
And, and of course
the two months
that Erling Haaland didn't play.
-The only way to win,
and to win again,
is to be relentless.
Everybody at the club,
from the chairman and the board,
to everybody
that works in the club,
thinking ahead and asking,
what else?
What more can we do?
What can we do better?
Begiristain: Julian and Phil,
they have solved the problem.
Uh, we can say now that
we are back on, on, on track
and we are where we have to be.
So, so fighting for, for the,
for the three trophies.
Woman: Hey, there. How are you?
[man laughs]
[]
Al Mubarak: It's social,
it's fun, it's competitive.
I love it.
Derby weekend,
big game.
The focus is completely
on the game.
All our focus is on the game,
but to, you know, switch off,
spend some quality time,
have fun,
a competitive game as you see.
It's a lot of fun.
[]
Man 1: You know
how much is at stake,
you know the bragging rights
and all of that kind of thing.
But I think the most
important thing for City
is, is getting the points,
and, for me,
the most important thing
is just
actually getting
that four in a row.
Man 2: Arsenal are away
at Sheffield United,
that looks straightforward.
Liverpool go to Forest,
not as straightforward,
but still should win it.
So then the pressure
is on City,
but, really,
this also seems like
quite a straightforward game.
[players yelling and chattering]
Interviewer: The noise
in the media was that
this was an easy game for City.
How do you cut through
all of that noise?
-You cannot change it.
But at the same time, they are
not changing my opinion either.
And after,
make the players realise
through the images,
through my words,
through respecting the tradition
that United have.
And, on the other hand,
I understand
what we have done
in the last six years.
When the people are going to say
that City is favourite,
I would say,
"Yeah, what can I say?"
So we have done
what we have done.
It's normal that the people
talk about that.
[]
Announcer: This is derby day
in Manchester.
City against United.
Local rivalry
on a global scale.
Man: BBC Radio Manchester.
[jingle plays]
-Derby day will never
not be special.
-When it's derby day,
it's derby day.
Announcer:
At Old Trafford in October,
Manchester City came away as
very comfortable 3-nil winners.
-I've spent a long, long time in
the doldrums of Alex Ferguson
and losing and losing
and losing.
-It's what you look forward
to in the league.
-We've took enough stick
off them for so long.
It is now our time to give
them the stick.
[chanting]
...ole, ole!
Champions again, ole, ole!
-All you want is to be able
to say that,
yeah, you know what?
We are the pride of Manchester.
And it does mean the world
to every single Blue.
Announcer:
Manchester City arrive
at the second derby
of the season
in ominous form.
[cheering]
[fans chanting]
Announcer 1: Game face from
Bruno Fernandes in the tunnel.
Announcer 2:
I'm really looking forward
to this one today, Conor.
I love these derby matches.
Everybody around the world
tuning into this one right now
will be seriously
revved up for it.
Announcer 3: Bruno Fernandes.
Set it for Rashford,
oh, he has ripped it in!
[]
Marcus Rashford with force!
[fans cheering]
Announcer 1:
Good ball from Doku to Rodri.
Allowed to turn.
Foden... Haaland!
-How did that happen?
-Announcer 3: Oh!
Announcer 1: Oh!
Announcer 2: Astonishing!
-[indistinct chatter]
-[bleep]
-You have another.
You have another.
[imitating explosion sounds]
Announcer 1: Not just the local
bragging rights of the derby,
but the wider context
of the title race.
Quite simply an enormous
45 minutes to come.
City trying
to stretch the game.
Rodri.
Foden, oh, blimey!
Blistering hit from Phil Foden!
Announcer 2: On his 100th
Premier League start,
Phil Foden has scored
a priceless goal for City.
Guardiola [chuckles]: He can do
whatever he wants.
He has a natural talent, a gift.
That is special.
[chanting]
City! City! City!
Announcer 1: Pep Guardiola
hoping that the tide
is now turning in the derby.
Announcer 2:
Alvarez and Foden...
[fans cheering]
Seizes the day!
Seizes the derby day!
-Come on!
Announcer 1: Oh, Rodri
has got it off Amrabat.
Erling Haaland!
The derby is
done and dusted now!
Manchester City
come from 1-nil down
to make it 3-1 in their favour.
[whistle blows]
Man: Phil Foden, to say
he was a boyhood Blue.
I think he is the greatest asset
to Manchester City that we have.
-Our Phil. [chuckles]
They call him "our Phil,"
you know,
'cause he's here
from Manchester, isn't he?
He's, he's a Manc.
-I mean, we call him
the Stockport Iniesta.
His talent is immense.
He's fantastic.
-In the absence of
Kevin De Bruyne
he stepped up
with the goals and the assists.
I think he's had his best season
in a sky blue shirt by far.
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct conversations]
Clive Wilton: I was
in my usual position
which is just at
the start of the tunnel.
The players were
coming off the pitch
and the backroom staff
and everyone
always high fives
and says congratulations.
Uh, the backroom staff
were giving me
a bit more of a hug than normal.
So I began to think
that they knew the news
I'd been given.
[sniffles]
Clive I don't forget.
In, uh, in the COVID time,
uh, when my mum
passed away, so...
The only person
who was 24/7, it was him.
Clive all the time was there.
[inaudible]
Life gave him a, a huge punch.
Go and win.
Go and win it.
Go and win it.
Love you.
[indistinct chatter]
Man 1: Well, you have
to go back a decade
for when a title race was
this tight between three teams.
Man 2: Liverpool have
got momentum
and energy
and the Klopp factor.
Arsenal, at this moment,
are the best performing team
and City have got
the most experience.
They've, all three,
got something.
But this is where
we're gonna find out
about all three of them.
-Now that month
was such a crucial month,
and in the media we were
all so excited about it
because we felt
that this could define
which way the title
was gonna go
because everyone
was playing everyone.
In terms of those that were
challenging for the title.
-Get your match day programme!
Announcer 1: Welcome to Anfield.
Liverpool against
Manchester City,
Jrgen Klopp against
Pep Guardiola.
Potentially for the final time
in the Premier League.
Announcer 2: It is a game
that could shake the course
of the Premier League
title race.
That's a clever ball
and Stones at the front post!
And it's a rehearsed
corner kick move
that pays huge dividends
for Manchester City!
John Stones has caught
Liverpool cold!
Rodri: I have to say that
the game against Liverpool
was another of the big moments
of the season.
[]
[indistinct announcement]
Announcer 2: And Michael Oliver
points to the spot!
[whistle blows]
Mac Allister makes
no mistake!
And Liverpool
are back level!
Announcer 1: Having equalised,
I think Pep knows
that there might be
a storm coming.
-And we couldn't find our game
and with the way that we play,
and we struggled a little bit.
And that moment,
in our minds, it was like,
"We cannot lose
this game.
"If we don't win it, it's okay,
but we cannot lose it."
Announcer 2:
And that will be it.
The referee
blows the whistle.
It's a point apiece.
Arsenal stay top.
Liverpool 1,
Manchester City 1.
Lineker: I think any draw
at Anfield you take.
I mean, that is
a tough place to go and play.
[indistinct chatter]
Man: Well done, boys!
Well done, boys!
Jaswal: It really was
a heavyweight clash at Anfield.
And that solitary point
meant that the title race
was still finely in the balance
ahead of Arsenal's
big trip to the Etihad.
[]
[fans whistling]
Announcer 1: Manchester City
are seeking
an unprecedented
fourth title in a row.
They must give this everything.
Announcer 2: Now or never.
Rodri driving, Raya claiming.
[whistle blowing]
They'll have to
settle for that.
Liverpool will certainly
settle for that.
It is back-to-back
Premier League draws
for Manchester City
against their title rivals.
The Etihad must wait to see
who is going to take
a big leap in this title race.
[indistinct chatter]
Lineker: We all thought
it was gonna be
this thrilling,
end-to-end football match,
and it-it-it was anything but.
Jaswal: It ended up being
a little bit disappointing,
but I guess there was
just so much at stake.
And it meant that the title race
just dragged on
a little bit longer.
[all clapping]
Bajkowski: This is
the end of March
and it felt like
City were weaker,
and I think they finished
the day in third.
And at that point it looked like
it was gonna be tough
for City to win
the league again.
[]
Jaswal: A mouthwatering week
of European action.
And Manchester City's
Champions League title defence
continues against the
14-time winners, Real Madrid.
[]
Man: Yeah, a nice little
mental break, isn't it,
from all the pressures
of a really, really tight
three-horse
Premier League title?
Another huge test
for Pep Guardiola's side.
-I think Manchester City,
Real Madrid nowadays
is just one of
the great fixtures.
-Match scarves, souvenirs,
today's game!
[kisses]
-Come on City!
Come on City!
-In our favour today
we've got the crowd.
We've got everyone behind 'em.
And I'm sure they'll
absolutely feed off that.
[]
Announcer: It's the
Champions League holders
against the competition's
most successful side.
It is tonight
a winner takes all
confrontation.
Announcer 1: I think City
have dominated the ball.
Totally dominant for probably
the last 70 minutes
of the game.
Announcer 2: And City will go
into a penalty shootout.
They've never before been
in a penalty shootout
in the Champions League.
If Rdiger scores,
Manchester City are out.
[anxious music playing]
Soriano: There might be cases
where we've won.
But we've made mistakes
that we don't correct
because the joy of winning
kind of covers everything.
When you lose,
it's really painful.
And you go over and over
thinking about the game.
And from that experience,
you learn.
It's painful, but you learn.
-They are sad, they will
remain for days, maybe weeks.
But, uh, in football,
you know exactly
that you are
going to lose games.
You have to decide the way
you're going to lose games.
It's painful.
You have to live
with that pain.
[]
Announcer: So another convincing
win for Manchester City
as they move back to the top
of the Premier League table.
They have the momentum
in the title race
and have been there
and done it in previous years.
Both Liverpool and Arsenal
play tomorrow
knowing that at this stage
of the season,
they can ill afford
any slip-ups.
-Well done, guys.
-There's a real twist
over a weekend.
City win...
and then on the Sunday...
Woman: It's been
an extraordinary day
for the title race with both
Liverpool and Arsenal
ending up on the losing sides.
And now with
six games left to go,
Manchester City have
a two-point lead
at the top
of the Premier League table.
Bajkowski: You had
two games happening
within hours of each other
that fundamental changed
the title race
in a way that absolutely
nobody saw coming.
-And that moment,
in our minds it was like,
"We're here again.
"I don't know
if we're gonna win it,
but we're here again to fight."
-Then you thought,
"Here we go again.
It's now in City's hands."
Man: Man City thrive
in this environment now.
I think they'll be looking
at it now going,
"This is where we go
another gear."
Woman: Both Arsenal
and Liverpool know
that Manchester City
at this stage of the season
are capable of winning
every single game.
-Guardiola:
Once they are there, uh,
and the machine starts working,
no one can stop it.
I think what defines
this group of players,
the guys who last season,
but the previous ones
that did it,
they do their best
when they are at their limit.
Announcer 1: And now
to the current group
who are in the same business
of making history.
Announcer 2: Just three weeks
until the final ball is kicked
when fates will be sealed,
champions crowned.
[]
Announcer 1:
Pulled back by Walker,
De Bruyne's header!
It's Foden,
and it's deflected in,
and Manchester City
tighten their grip!
[]
-Guardiola: Remember
Nottingham Forest?
We played not really good.
I would say
Nottingham Forest deserved
maybe a draw,
maybe to win the game.
[fans cheering]
But in that moment,
the players know,
"We cannot lose."
[cheering continues]
At the beginning of the season
you cannot live with that.
Because it's 38 games,
you can not tell them,
"Guys if you lose today,
the first game of the season,
we are going to lose
the Premier League."
Mm, no.
But when we arrive in the
last six, seven, eight, nine,
if we lose those games,
if we draw those games,
we don't win it.
[upbeat music playing]
[fans cheering]
The ball you have to defend.
The keeper has to save.
In the right moment,
the striker scored a goal.
[cheering]
When you have that,
the team proved it.
They know, they know
we cannot lose.
[whistle blows]
Announcer: Manchester City
march on.
And now it's down to Arsenal
because they simply
have to win.
Fulham nil,
Manchester City 4.
[fans chanting]
-I think the one game
that we all thought
um, would be the crux,
and that was
when Manchester City
had to go to Tottenham.
Of all things, Tottenham
could possibly win
the title for Arsenal.
And their fans
didn't know what to do.
They want, they want
their team to win,
but they don't want
their team to win!
[indistinct chanting]
Man 1: We have a key game
in the race for the title
because Spurs are taking
on Manchester City.
-Come on, City.
Man 2: It's effectively the one
that sets up the final day.
City win
and they're in charge,
they fail to win,
Arsenal are in charge.
Man 1: Yeah.
[inaudible]
Announcer: Manchester City
have never won at this stadium.
[chanting]
Rodri: I've been here
five years.
I've played
four times there.
Never won, never scored
a goal, always lose.
Announcer:
City on the edge of glory.
There is a lot, a lot
on the line here.
-It was one of
the toughest games
I've played in my career.
They needed to win also
because they want to qualify
for the Champions League.
It was like, "Is everything
against us?" You know.
Like, everything against us
and we have to
overcome this situation.
Announcer: Romero in
in front of Haaland.
Oh, Hjbjerg uncertain!
Foden denied by Vicario!
Huge chance for
Manchester City!
This one remains
all square for now.
[]
[indistinct chatter]
[chatter continues]
[chatter continues]
[all cheer enthusiastically]
Announcer 1: As we see
the City boss there...
Look, he trusts
his players.
He'll believe that they will
come up with the solutions
and find what's required.
Announcer 2:
Bernardo Silva can join.
De Bruyne,
Haaland wants it in!
[triumphant music playing]
And City have their way!
They reach out for it!
Fans: [chanting] City! City!
Announcer 2: Finally,
the silence is cracked!
Announcer 1: Now Kulusevski.
Announcer 2:
It's a dangerous ball.
Ederson had to be
so brave there.
There's appeals
from his teammates
that he's been
fouled by Romero.
Announcer 1: He doesn't
shirk out from challenges,
does he, Ederson?
An extremely
brave goalkeeper.
Well, he has been
a very dependable deputy
when called upon
this season, Stefan Ortega.
[whistle blows]
[]
[inaudible]
Announcer 1:
Rodri, and Rodri backwards
to the halfway line to Akanji.
And Akanji is under pressure!
And he's lost the ball!
Announcer 2:
Oh, it's a steal here for Son!
And Son Heung-Min
is through...
[mysterious music playing]
[jarring stinger]
[clock ticking]
Ortega makes the biggest save
of his Manchester City career!
Announcer 1:
What a stop that is.
That's everything on
the line there.
-Oh, the Spurs save.
Such a pivotal moment
when it came to the title race.
-I thought it was over.
That's got to be up there with
one of the greatest moments.
Guardiola: Stefan knew,
"I have to save that ball,
otherwise Arsenal is going to
win the Premier League."
And he saved it.
And the people say,
"Ah, Son missed."
No, Son didn't miss.
Stefan saved it.
-I've always been fascinated
by goalkeepers.
Specifically by their
mental strength.
You think about that moment
and the anatomy of that moment.
Everything happened very slow.
Maybe the league
is over.
Announcer 1: In every season
there is a defining moment
for this Manchester City side.
In a split second,
titles can be won or lost.
This team always gets
those moments right.
Announcer 2: Oh, it could be
an own goal!
Cleared off the line!
Remarkable!
Had a look, had a hit!
Oh! Captain Fantastic!
Announcer 3: De Bruyne...
Yes!
Gndoan again!
[]
-[whistle blows]
-Announcer 4: Down goes Doku.
Penalty Manchester City!
This can decide the day
right here right now.
Haaland...
puts Manchester City
on the edge of glory!
[cheering]
[bleeping]
[]
[indistinct chatter]
-Are you all right, you?
A lovely day for golf.
No excuses in this sport.
Never wish injury to someone,
especially some of your mates.
So, like, when I saw him
after the game,
I was like "Oh, oof!"
-When I saw him
coming to me, I was just like,
"Do whatever you want,
you don't score."
Now, these are the situations
I like the most.
-Of all the players that you
want through at that point
it would be Son, because he's
such a brilliant finisher.
Stefan Ortega: For me, what I
try to do in one-v-ones is,
just try to stay
as long as possible
and don't move
like a crazy guy.
And if a striker
just sees you,
and you just see
the green shirt,
and the green shirt
is not moving,
I think this is probably,
for striker, horrible.
You have to go in his head.
And I think I did it.
-Crazy.
[]
[inaudible]
Announcer:
The Premier League title race
is going down to the final day
with the champions
Manchester City,
two points ahead of Arsenal
as they chase an unprecedented
fourth title in a row.
Woman: Leaders Manchester City
host West Ham
while second placed
Arsenal face Everton.
[indistinct chatter]
[]
[fans cheering]
[]
[cheering continues]
[]
[cheering continues]
Man 1: Big day.
A win will do it.
Man 2: For me,
I think there'll be
some sense of, like,
nervousness,
but it's like excitement,
you know,
to get a chance to win
a league title
on your home ground.
[fans cheering]
[chanting] City! City!
City! City!
Announcer:
One win away from the title,
but in the back of their heads,
this City team also know
they could be
one slip-up from failure.
[]
[sputters]
Allez!Let's go!
[all cheer]
[]
Announcer 1: Ninety minutes
from history.
Announcer 2: They've
got to make sure today
they start this game
really well.
[]
Announcer 1: Bernardo Silva.
Phil Foden!
Phil Foden...
Oh!
...for Manchester City!
Inside 90 seconds!
[inspiring music playing]
Announcer 2:
Just the sort of start
that they could
only have dreamed of.
[fans exclaiming]
[]
[whistle blows]
Foden!
[fans cheering]
Another magic day
for a magic Manchester man!
Announcer 1:
Ward-Prowse with the corner.
Announcer 2: Kudus!
-Announcer 1: What?
-Announcer 2: Hang on!
Hold the phone
in the title race!
We've just had a very big
last few seconds!
-It would have been enjoyable
if we could have gone
to the half time with 2-0,
but Kudus made
an incredible goal.
[]
Announcer 1: Manchester City
who appeared to be
floating their way
towards the title
now suddenly have to roll up
their sleeves again.
Guardiola: And I felt
in the locker room,
and I felt in the environment
that they were scared.
[snaps fingers]
[inaudible]
[]
[players clapping]
Announcer 1: So we're
into the final 45 minutes
of an epic,
23-24 Premier League campaign.
Martin degaard...
There it is!
Arsenal lead
for the first time.
They are now doing
their bit.
[inaudible]
Announcer 2: Walker.
De Bruyne.
Announcer 1: Rodri...
rattles City to within reach!
[heroic music playing]
-That goal, that gave us,
you know, the, the calm
to, to know that,
yeah, it was, it was done
after all of the effort
of what we lived
in the season.
You know, with good moments,
with bad moments,
you know, ups and downs.
I saw the celebration,
it was like,
"Yeah, finally." You know.
"Finally it's here."
[heroic music continues]
Guardiola: When Rodri scored
the third goal, after I felt,
"Okay, we are close to doing
something like anyone has done."
Announcer 1: There is the sound,
perhaps of Arsenal
hearts breaking.
Announcer 2: The job
is surely done now...
[whistle blows]
...as John Brooks
blows the final whistle!
Manchester City
are the Premier League
champions again!
Arsenal come up
agonisingly short.
-Sometimes you just
have to step back and go,
this is something that no team
has ever achieved
in this country.
And only one man
has managed to do it,
and one club has
managed to do it.
He's redefined
what success looks like.
Bajkowski: There is a reason why
it's never been done before.
You know, this City team,
they have set
an awful lot of records.
But I think four in a row
is probably
the one that will
never be beaten.
[cheering]
[triumphant music playing]
All [chanting]: Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
[cheering continues]
Fans [chanting]:
Champions again ole, ole!
Champions again!
Champions again!
Champions again, ole, ole!
[cheering]
All: Champions again, ole, ole!
Champions again!
Champions again!
Champions again, ole, ole!
Champions again, ole, ole!
Lineker: To win
four Premier Leagues
in a row is astonishing.
To deliver that consistency
over four seasons,
in the most
competitive league imaginable
is an extraordinary
achievement.
Guardiola: To do something,
like I put it,
I ordered to put it,
the sentence.
There's no team who have won
four Premier Leagues
consecutive in a row...
yet.
-Ballon d'Or, Rodri.
-Sorry for that, guys.
Announcer 1: Rodri!
[]
Announcer 2: Foden!
1-1!
[soft triumphant music playing]
Al Mubarak: This is all
historic achievements
that will be
very hard, very hard
to emulate or beat.
And the beauty of it is, uh,
there's a lot more still
to achieve.
And this is what this group,
uh, lives for.
So I'm, I'm excited
about the future
as much as I'm excited
about the past.
[]
[Going Out A Legend
by Derek Minor playing]
That's all I know
Yeah
Yeah
That's all I know
That's all I know
That's all I know
That's all I know
That's all I know
That's all I know
[]
[scatting]
[]
[scatting continues]
Announcer 1:
The champions of 2021
are Manchester City!
Announcer 2:
Kevin De Bruyne!
Gndoan!
The winners and still
the champions of the land,
Manchester City!
Announcer 3: De Bruyne
keeps on going and hits it!
What a sensational goal!
Announcer 4:
Manchester City,
the kings
of English football again!
Gary Lineker: I think most
of us in the football world,
the neutrals,
we're thinking,
are Manchester City
completely unbeatable?
Seema Jaswal: Teams had managed
to do three in a row.
Huddersfield Town back in
the '20s had done it.
Arsenal back in the '30s.
Liverpool in the '80s.
And then of course
City's biggest rivals,
Manchester United had
recently won three on the spin.
But there's a reason that nobody
had managed
to win four in a row
because it's
virtually impossible.
-I think a lot of us
were thinking
surely there comes a point
where you just can't
keep churning out
great performance
after great performance.
-There's only one thing that is
more difficult than winning.
It's winning again.
You have to be at the top
of your game constantly
during the season.
-Khaldoon Al Mubarak:
You know, we have to always
sometimes pause
and contextualise.
In over a hundred years
of English football,
never any team was able
to achieve
four championships in a row.
So once that sinks in,
you start really appreciating
the magnitude, the difficulty,
the challenge,
the tenacity required.
[]
Lineker: My instinct was that
the most likely successor
would be Arsenal.
Man 1: This feels like
a different Arsenal side
with a different mentality
and that belief that actually,
"This is our season."
Man 2: They've added strength
to them,
they've added quality.
They look ready
for the challenge.
Man 3: The only team really
that's proven
that they can run them
really close
is Jrgen Klopp at Liverpool.
Man 4: I just think Liverpool
have got a manager
who's been there
and done it before.
There has to be
a massive improvement.
Woman 1: You always know
that going toe to toe with them
will be a battle.
Man 5: They're all
within their rights
to believe they can do this.
Man 6: They must be looking
and going,
"This is as good a chance
as we've had
for a number of years."
[]
[players yelling]
[birds chirping]
Man: Rodri. Rodri.
[announcer speaking Spanish]
Announcer 1:
Coming onto it now to shoot!
Announcer 2: Goal!
Announcer 3: The greatest story
in club history
has an ending
and what a final chapter!
Announcer 4: They have done it.
They've done the Treble.
They've won
the Champions League finally.
[]
[cheering]
Jack Gaughan:
I think when you do
something like they did
with the Treble,
there's gonna be
a subconscious drop-off.
An element of, sort of,
hangover is going to exist.
It's human nature.
-For City, having achieved
absolutely everything
that anyone could dream of
as a player,
you think,
"How do you go again?"
Txiki Begiristain: You have to
see the reaction to something
that is absolutely exceptional.
That is to win the Treble.
What we could see is that
there was still that hunger.
Pep Guardiola: So after
the Treble, uh, you don't know,
even myself,
how we would react,
how we would be.
-I think probably one
of the great strengths
of-of Pep Guardiola
is his drive and his energy
and his ability to motivate
the players season after season.
Now you'd think "Well,
they're playing football.
They wanna play football,
and they are competitive."
Yes, we are.
But if you drop even 1%,
then you're in trouble.
-In psychology,
we talk about different,
different types of motivation.
So you have this kind of
pure extrinsic motivation.
"I-I-I do things because
I wanna win prizes"
et cetera, et cetera.
And then you have
a pure intrinsic motivation,
which is, "I do it
because I love the game."
And although the prize is
that the Treble last year
was a fantastic achievement,
the essence of why they play
the game doesn't shift.
[exclaims]
-I think you look at all of
the great teams that have played
in the Premier League
over the number of years,
they've never gone
and done four in a row.
That had to give us
the fuel and the fire
to do something
that no one has ever done.
Jaswal: So the transfer window
in England is really
an opportunity for clubs
to strengthen,
to better what they had
from the season before.
Ferran Soriano: Over the years,
we've learnt that
in order to keep
the team hungry
and the team sharp,
we need to make changes.
-Man: Let's talk
about Manchester City.
Woman: I actually think
they've done good business,
and I think we've got
to trust in Pep Guardiola.
Man: They have
a player that ticks
all of the boxes
that they need.
Woman: How does
any team go about
taking that title away
from you?
Soriano: We have
to be very selective.
And I think we have
the best coach
in the world in Pep.
And we have
the best football director
in the world with Txiki.
So the transfer window,
if I have to remember,
it was a bit awful
at least for,
at least for me.
Because after doing the Treble,
everyone was confused.
The ones that were, uh,
the protagonists
of those, those trophies,
they were thinking that
they should get-get more
or new contracts
and taking the opportunity.
And the other ones that
they were not playing finals,
they were really, uh,
how to I say?
Pissed off.
And they were,
they were trying
to-to-to get out
from the club.
-For Manchester City,
this window
was really interesting
in terms of incomings
and outgoings.
And there were certainly
a few surprises.
-I think most of us in the game
thought that
perhaps Manchester City
had given away a bit of grounds
in the transfer window
because we saw a couple
of big name players go out.
Gndoan obviously went
to Barcelona,
and Mahrez went to Saudi.
That's a lot of goals
and a lot of assists
going out of your team.
And of course
Cole Palmer as well
who turned out to be
a fantastic signing.
That may be maybe
a little mistake
from Manchester City there.
But one thing I've noticed
about Pep is...
it doesn't seem
to ever bother him
or worry about
players leaving.
If they want to go,
if it's their time,
"Off you go, I'll get
someone else in.'
Begiristain:
We have to do these things.
We have to refresh the squad,
we have to move the squad.
We have to give also
to the manager new tools.
Begiristain: Mateo was coming
with a lot of experience
and some profile
that we didn't have.
He is that, uh, midfielder
that driving the ball.
He-he break lines.
Reporter: That's it,
nice and close guys, ready?
Mateo Kovai: They just love
to-to speak about football.
How they want me
to-to play.
What kind of positions
they see me in.
And what I can bring
to the team.
-Where is my friend,
Mateo Kovai?
Lineker:
A significant signing this.
Much sought after.
A lot of clubs wanted him.
I think we all thought that
Gvardiol was a good signing.
We'd seen him
in the World Cup,
um, where he was
incredibly impressive.
We all thought that he was
gonna be a central defender,
but you never know what
Pep's gonna do with players.
Pep sees things
in a different way
to-to a lot of people.
Gvardiol: It's-it's much easier
when I have, uh,
these players around me.
I have everything here
what I need to,
to, to become
a better player,
to become a better person.
Reporter: Manchester City
have confirmed the signing
of Matheus Nunes.
Guardiola:
I think with the new ones,
they, they settle
and they realise
how we behave,
what are our standards,
and what we have
to do to defend it.
You cannot imagine how it helps
to keep the team stable.
The players,
they don't want to leave.
They are in the top
of the world.
And what a better place
to win trophies?
Reporter: We've got some
breaking news to bring you.
Sky Germany are reporting
that Bayern Munich
are interested
in Manchester City's
Kyle Walker.
-So it was
an interesting time
because Gndoan
had left the club,
Mahrez had left the club.
But then the rumours started
to surface about Kyle Walker
going to Bayern Munich,
potentially.
-Well, I think
I've been very open
that, you know,
I kind of thought
that maybe I wasn't going
to play
enough football
as what I wanted to do.
I had an offer there
that was, that was two years.
Um, I wanna play football at
the highest level as possible.
And I'd been having
a conversation,
you know, with Txiki,
with Pep.
It made sense.
[indistinct chatter]
I'm not leaving.
I'm not leaving!
[all cheering]
The show goes on!
This is my home.
You know, this is the best
footballing team in the world
right now, at the minute,
with the manager that we've got,
with the players that we've got.
To be voted club captain
when Gndo left,
it was, you know,
it was very special,
but I made it quite clear
to, you know, the five of us,
the four that was,
you know, Kevin, Rben,
Rodri, and Bernardo that,
you know, it's not just my voice
that you are gonna hear.
I want it to be
a collective thing
where we're all
in it together,
and we all make
decisions together.
[laughter]
Man: All right,
all right, guys, cool.
Top!
Thank you, thank you.
Guardiola: In the beginning
we spoke, we cannot...
you know, the height
of the mountain,
we cannot climb it,
uh... immediately.
So in the first month,
we were talking about,
okay, time to get points
in the beginning.
In the first games, you don't
win the Premier League,
but you can lose it.
[]
[fans cheering]
Announcer: So here we go again,
a trip to Burnley.
Match day one of 38 fixtures
that lay ahead
for Manchester City
in the 23-24
Premier League season.
Pep Guardiola's team
have been champions
for the last
three campaigns.
And if they finish top again,
they will make
English football history
by becoming the only team
to win four titles in a row.
[]
Announcer: And it's headed
back across to Haaland
who's already made his mark!
He's started his second
Premier League season
as he started his first!
Begiristain: Every day
they have to go out
and get the pain
or the rain
or the bad weather
or whatever.
They could see that
there is something big
waiting for them.
-All of us,
we are aware that,
well, maybe in our careers
we will not be again here.
So that's why they wanna try
to do it.
Announcer: Now, Foden.
And in behind Burn.
Julin Alvarez,
side to Foden.
That's all he needs!
[fans cheering]
Announcer:
It's been seven years
since the champions
have won each
of their first three
league games
of the season.
Announcer: Here's Walker.
Pulled back for Foden.
Got away from him
but not from Rodri!
And what a bullet
of a finish!
And Manchester City
showing again
why they are
constant champions!
The last time that City began
a Premier League season
with four wins
was back in Pep Guardiola's
first campaign in charge.
Announcer 2: Rodri again,
through the gap to Alvarez.
Haaland's onto that!
You know the rest!
Sergio Gomez, Haaland!
Another hat-trick!
The best team on the planet
are on the march again!
Announcer: And as
the second half gets underway,
Manchester City on the hunt
to get themselves level
in a game
they find themselves behind.
Alvarez to Doku, who had
a bright first half at times.
And here he goes...
Oh, it's a moment of quality
for this new talent
in the Premier League!
-Not bad. [chuckles]
Announcer: His first goal
for Manchester City.
And what a first goal!
-Flash. He is the Flash!
-Fast, explosive.
-Absolutely electric.
-I was happy that I could show
the real Jrmy in that game.
Announcer: The champions pass
another challenge
with their customary quality.
Jrmy Doku's
brilliant equaliser
allowed Manchester City
the platform to turn
this game around.
And that's exactly
what they did.
-I'm better in football,
that's for sure.
[laughter]
man: Ooh!
Jaswal: So although things
were going really well,
Manchester City were top
of the table,
when the news broke about
Kevin De Bruyne's injury
and the fact that
we were learning
he'd be out for months.
At the time,
the pundits and everyone
in the media were discussing,
"Is this now the moment
where things could change?"
-Basically,
I'm a 32-year-old
football player
who's been playing
for 15 years,
almost 700 games.
Sometimes goes too hard.
And now basically,
my hamstring was
a "wet paper towel."
That's what they called it
after surgery.
-As a professional player,
you will get injured sometimes.
Tha-that is a fact.
[players exclaim]
Donough Holohan: The key thing
you have to remember in this
is that every injury is unique.
So every time
we get an injury,
it's a new problem
that we have to solve.
There are many people
who need to come together
to get the player back
where he can compete
at the highest level again.
[]
-You'll never have seen
a dead leg
like this in your life.
I've never, ever felt pain
like it.
The bleed can be like,
like, six, seven,
eight centimetres,
which would be a bad one.
Mine was 20 centimetres.
So it was literally like
the whole of my quad really.
-There are two
very important things.
First, that you
do not disconnect.
So we had injured players
going to the games,
going to the dressing room.
And second, that you have
the patience,
the perspective to know that
you'll go through some pain,
you'll be watching the game
from the sidelines,
and it will be painful
but you will get back.
Soriano:
You always get back.
For that,
you need mental strength.
And I think
all professional players
at the top of the game
have this mental strength.
-I mean,
you are expecting maybe
some injuries to players
or whatever.
But-but Pep was really suffering
a lot of pain in his back.
It was, it was,
it was terrible.
Announcer: They might be
top of the table,
but Manchester City
not only have
to contend with injuries
to some key players
at the moment,
this week
manager Pep Guardiola
underwent surgery on his back.
Meaning assistant manager
Juanma Lillo
will take charge today.
-I would like to be there,
but you are not able
because you are not fine.
I sustained it
for a long time,
but at the end
I arrived at a moment
that I could not...
I could not stay up,
and I could not stay, you know,
in the conditions to do it.
-And it's not only about
the-the-the manager
of Man City or whatever.
We were worried about him.
Lineker: I would imagine
stepping into the shoes
of Pep Guardiola
is quite difficult.
And for Juanma to do that,
you need to be
a big personality in yourself,
and the players need
to respect you.
-Everybody in the team has
a role, a function
and becomes very important
at some point during the season.
In the case of Juanma,
that was the moment
where he was most needed,
and he stepped up.
-Juanma is...
[exhales forcefully]
he is a big, big talent.
The only problem is
he doesn't speak English.
It's a big, big problem
for all of us.
For the team, he's been
an incredible figure.
He doesn't need
the language to communicate.
[cheering and applause]
[cheering]
Announcer: Here comes
Walker, going through.
-Looking for Foden!
-[fans cheering]
Foden over to Matheus Nunes.
He looks to leave it
for Haaland!
They've had a perfect start to
their Premier League campaign.
Five wins from five,
and they are on for
a sixth consecutive victory.
And there is a little bit of
frustration boiling over there
between Gibbs-White
and Rodri.
[dramatic music playing]
[whistle blows]
Announcer: There's a red card
for Rodri.
Announcer 2: It's just
a simple coming together
it seemed
with Morgan Gibbs-White.
And suddenly,
tempers have gone high.
Announcer 2: It's absolutely
madness from, from Rodri,
the reaction.
-It's one of these days
that, uh,
sometimes happen
in football that, uh,
you don't do the things right.
Gaughan: An incident that you
wouldn't expect from Rodri.
It put them in a...
put them in
a really difficult situation.
Bajkowski: You're always looking
to see what games they miss.
And then you see that
third game is Arsenal,
and it's panic stations a bit.
-In this kind of moments,
you don't think much
on yourself.
You think about how
the situation affects the team.
You make your teammates run,
and it wasn't necessary
to do it.
-If somebody tells you
things might get wrong,
it's a lie.
Things willget wrong.
The important thing is
how do you react
when that happens?
Walker: To miss Rodri going
to Molineux was always gonna be,
you know,
an even tougher game.
You can go there, and sometimes
they can catch you by surprise.
-[fans cheering]
-Announcer: It's in!
The Treble winners,
the league leaders
are beaten!
Man 1: I suppose the question
now for Manchester City is
are they running out
of a little bit of steam?
Man 2: What? They started
like a house on fire.
It's the start
of the season, Chris.
I don't think you can say
they're running
out of steam.
[players shouting]
[Haaland yells]
Man 3: This is
[bleep] shambolic, lads.
-I think that period
of, um, three games
that Rodri missed,
it felt like it might be
a pivotal moment
in the season.
Um, because they lost
against Wolves.
Then they went out of
the Carabao Cup as well.
And then of course
they faced Arsenal.
Announcer: This feels like
the biggest game
of the Premier League season
so far.
Manchester City were too good
for their rivals last season.
But have Arsenal been able
to bridge the gap?
[cheering]
[cheering]
Announcer: Brilliant noise
from both sets of supporters.
Now let's see if the players
can add to the spectacle.
[]
Announcer: Lifted forward
towards Tomiyasu.
And Kai Havertz.
And Martinelli...
[fans cheering]
It may be pivotal!
At last, Arsenal have cracked
the City code!
Announcer 2:
It is three domestic defeats
in a row for Manchester City.
Lineker: We'd never seen
a Pep team lose three in a row.
That couldn't happen, could it?
And then it did.
And then you sort
of thought, is this,
is this Arsenal's moment?
-The thinking was,
are City starting
to show signs
of vulnerability?
Guardiola: It is unbelievable
how we are still able
to extend this run of years
to win, win, win,
but we're going to lose games.
You don't know exactly
what is going to happen,
in which month
it's going to happen.
I don't know.
Announcer: City have won
their last three visits
to Stamford Bridge.
A continuation
of that recent run
will certainly be
a strong statement
ahead of their next three
Premier League games.
Sterling here
for Armando Broja.
He's gone over...
penalty kick!
[whistle blows]
[cheering]
Announcer: City's boy
is Chelsea's man!
Announcer: Salah.
Alexander-Arnold
has pinned one in
for Liverpool!
man: Look, it's happened
here today with the 1-1.
It's definitely a better
result for Liverpool.
City were flat.
[fans chanting]
-Yes!
-Announcer 1: Johnson.
-Kulusevski! Oh!
-Announcer 2: Oh!
Announcer 1: Three each
in the ninetieth minute!
Announcer 2: City threaten to go
the other way with Haaland.
Played early for Grealish.
Announcer 1: Oh, no.
Announcer 2: And the referee
has stopped it.
Announcer 1: Oh, no!
Man: Obviously, I think
the referee has made a mistake.
-All of sudden,
I think for the first time,
maybe under Pep, there was
a consistent lack of wins.
Announcer: City allowed
the game to drift.
They didn't seem serious enough
about the danger
that existed in the game.
And what that amounts to
without a shadow of
a doubt is a complacency.
Interviewer: Do you ever sense
complacency in our players?
-No.
-Interviewer: No?
-No. I'm there.
They will not play.
They know it.
So it doesn't matter
the name.
If they don't do
what they have to do,
uh, they will participate
less than, than normal.
Announcer: Well,
three late goals from Spurs,
Chelsea, and Liverpool
in the last three matches
cost them six points.
They begin
the evening six points
behind leaders Arsenal.
[cheering]
Announcer: Bailey deflected.
And they do have the goal
that really they do deserve!
man: Two shots
for Manchester City.
The fewest that
a Pep Guardiola team
has ever managed
in 535 league games
that he has taken charge of.
City have lost a little bit
of that intensity
and that drive.
Man 2: I think when teams
are playing against Man City,
they've lost that air
of invincibility.
-It has just been
absolutely ages
since I'd seen a City team
so dominated.
Gaughan: The performances
were... just weren't there.
They weren't
90-minute performances
that you would expect from,
from a Guardiola team.
-The question is, kind of,
how do you get City
out of this slump?
[chanting]
Announcer: Many around
the Etihad thought that
at this stage things would be
quite comfortable.
But not so.
Oh, it's a penalty!
It was Manchester City's game.
But Crystal Palace
have reeled them in!
-[crowd cheering]
- Olise scores!
The Etihad shell-shocked!
The points seemed
in the bag for the hosts.
Guardiola: I'm not really
proud sometimes.
Most of the times right after
the game when I'm angry.
For my emotions,
I do it to the players.
I'm a human being.
I make mistakes,
and I don't like that.
I don't like it.
In that moment, with 2-0 down,
it was an unnecessary penalty.
Sometimes I cannot
control myself, neither.
[bleep]
[bleep]
-Teams were scoring late goals,
crucial goals
against Manchester City.
You know, Chelsea made it
4-4 right near the end.
Kulusevski equalised
in a game late.
Trent Alexander-Arnold scored
in the 80-something minute
against them.
And it all cost them.
I actually thought at that stage
of the season
they were in trouble
in terms of winning the title.
Jaswal: So just hours after
dropping those crucial points
in the Premier League
to Crystal Palace,
they had to get on a plane
and go to Saudi Arabia
to compete in
the FIFA Club World Cup.
Walker: Well, we were going
to obviously do something
that this club
has never done before
and win the Club World Cup.
So we had to forget about that
and forget about it quickly.
Lineker: Normally you'd go,
this is a chance
for Liverpool
and Arsenal to put daylight
between them
and Manchester City.
And this has come
at the wrong time.
But I actually think
it was respite
from the relentlessness
of the Premier League.
-It felt like the Premier League
was miles away.
And they weren't
sort of worrying about it.
They had a competition to win.
It just took them away from
the bubble of English football.
-This competition,
as a club, we've never won.
And we wanna do it.
We're a bit frustrated
with what's been happening.
There is no, no time
to feel sad
because of our last game.
But I'm not gonna lie,
sometimes I feel tired.
All of us, we feel tired
for some games. It's normal.
But that's the,
that's the price that you pay
for being in a top club,
for fighting
for all competitions.
And at the end, our dream
was to play at this level.
So me personally, I'm not
gonna complain about it.
[laughter]
-They knew that
playing two games,
they were... they-they had
a chance to win a trophy
that never the club had.
And neither the players.
Everything is perfect.
Getting out from,
from maybe
from the cold winter
from Manchester
an-and going there.
And when we play for something,
this team,
they show what they are.
I don't play friendly.
Uh, but not only
because it's me.
Because the guys
I'm facing are the same.
All the guys that are here,
we've been mentality winners,
or competitors,
from we were kids.
So we don't accept
friendly games, you know?
-Pep would talk about breaking
the season down
almost into more manageable
size resets.
And we know that
breaking new ground,
achieving new things
is something
that's going
to inspire people.
[]
Announcer:
History beckons once again
for City's all conquering class
of 2023.
Ak decides to have a shot.
It's against the post.
And it's chested
into the net by Alvarez!
City are in front
in 44 seconds!
[bleep]
Announcer: Kovai frees
Alvarez, had a little look.
It's a great cross,
Phil Foden runs it in!
And runs away to celebrate.
Alvarez... wonderful!
Announcer 2: They are
the best team in the land
and all the world!
What a year!
What a team!
-The Club World Cup was
a magical moment.
Celebrating. We-we felt
we achieved something great.
-We showed the world that
we were the champions
of everything.
And this is
something remarkable.
Al Mubarak: Being able
to compete with teams
from all over the world,
outside Europe,
and then winning that trophy
and now having that badge
is absolutely fantastic.
I'm so, so proud of it.
-That just shows that we are
the best in the world.
We're the best team
in the world.
-We've always knew it.
Now it's just official!
-We are the best in the world.
And it was a tremendous,
tremendous feat.
[fireworks exploding]
Man: I think that moment
wa-was a pivotal moment
in the season.
Grealish: City! City!
The best team in the land
and all the world!
[mutters]
Lineker: All of a sudden,
that poor momentum
has gone,
and you've got
a positive momentum.
Because you're going back
to the Premier League
with another trophy.
-City winning their fifth trophy
of that calendar year
was a great achievement.
But when they returned home,
they were fifth
in the Premier League table.
So they had a bit of a mountain
to climb, really.
Announcer:
Rodri, under pressure.
Comes to McNeil...
-It's in!
-[crowd cheering]
[]
[Guardiola snapping fingers]
[crowd cheering]
Announcer: Foden! Oh!
Clean as you like.
Pickford.
And Foden!
And then it's Ak,
and they are appealing
for handball there.
Vehemently appealing
for handball.
And now the referee points
to the spot.
-We knew that we had
to return to it
full steam ahead
and, you know,
try to get a run
of games going very quickly.
[cheering]
Announcer:
And he has sealed it
for Manchester City!
And their message is clear.
"We're coming
for you all again!"
[]
Announcer: Here's Rodri.
Who's driving forward.
Still going... Rodri!
Just like that,
Manchester City have the lead!
Well, there are
huge cheers
ringing around the Etihad
at the moment
because they've seen
Kevin De Bruyne
warm up.
Well, that's what it means
to these Manchester City fans
to see him back.
Lineker: When he warmed up
and didn't come on,
there was all of a sudden
that kind of feeling
of positivity
right around the ground
at the Etihad.
[chanting]
-He's been such a talisman.
He's so talented, so good.
You could sense
every supporter was like,
"De Bruyne is back."
[]
-First of all, I have
to say that, uh, for me,
this game was the most
important game in the season.
Announcer: And Isak is in
with Walker to beat still.
And Isak...
It's a beauty.
[fans cheering]
Walker: Once they get wind
behind their sails,
it's a, it's a really
tough place
to play football
there.
Announcer:
Anthony Gordon!
[cheering]
Lightning strikes again!
And Newcastle, thrillingly,
have turned this game
on its head.
-I think you looked around
at the faces,
and you kind of think,
"Oh, here we go again."
Lineker: When Manchester City
were losing at Newcastle,
they would never admit it,
the other teams
in the title race,
they never do.
But Arsenal and Liverpool
will be thinking,
"We've got a chance here..."
If they lose this one,
they're really in trouble
in this title race.
[]
Announcer:
Still no joy for City.
Lineker: Every player,
for both of those sides,
would have been desperate
for Newcastle
to hang onto
that one goal lead.
Announcer: De Bruyne has been
called back from warming up.
He's gonna be
coming on shortly.
stadium Announcer: Number 17,
Kevin De Bruyne.
De Bruyne: I came in the game,
and it went so quickly.
I felt like I was only
on the pitch
for a couple of minutes.
Announcer: So the return
to the Premier League stage
of one of
its finest entertainers.
[]
De Bruyne takes aim
and marks his return
to the Premier League stage.
Draws his side back on terms
and shows Guardiola and co
precisely what
they've been missing!
Man: De Bruyne's performance,
dear me!
Woman: I mean, it was just
an inspired Kevin De Bruyne.
De Bruyne: I just wanted to try
and make a difference.
And it couldn't be
a better way
to come back
into the Premier League.
Announcer: De Bruyne.
What a ball towards Bobb.
And Oscar Bobb tucks it in
for what may prove to be
the decisive goal!
But what about the setup
from Kevin De Bruyne?
It's the hallmark of champions.
Stoppage time.
Deep midwinter.
Difficult away game.
They have trailed
for a while
but are likely to end
with their noses in front.
Walker: When you get
that type of player
that you've been missing,
I was saying to Rben,
"Listen, we just get
in touching distance
"for when Kevin's back,
we know we've got it."
[cheering]
[whistling]
[]
-A moment like that turning
that game around on its head,
I think it transformed
the whole feeling
at the football club
and made them believe again.
[indistinct chatter]
-So City were back on track,
they were looking really strong,
but Arsenal and Liverpool
were holding strong
at the top of the table.
So at that point
it really did feel like
we were in for
a huge three-way title race.
Man 1: Yet more
twists and turns.
Does this title race
really feel
like it could be a classic?
Woman: We've said it all along,
Manchester City
just have that know-how.
Man 2: You can't
write off Arsenal
because they've been fantastic
since the turn of the year.
Man 3: I just think Liverpool
at the moment, for me,
I just think they are the ones.
I do think some of these
top teams will drop points.
Woman: I think you could
look at each team,
Manchester City, Arsenal,
and Liverpool
and raise a good argument
for why they'd win it.
Man 4: My head says City,
but I think
Liverpool will win it.
Man 5: You went Arsenal,
I've gone City.
I'm going to stick with City.
Man 6: It changes very quickly.
It's just, every week
it's relentless.
Man 7: Pep saying here,
"We do love the pressure,
and this is the stage
where we come alive."
Man 8: The more of a challenge
they have,
the more they rise
to the occasion.
Announcer: What a hat-trick.
What a player.
Man 9: Arsenal are gonna sort of
be in the situation
that Liverpool have been in
where, in any normal era
would have seen them
be champions comfortably.
-We have to do it again
and again and again.
Announcer: Erling Haaland wins
the game for the champions!
Man 10: We all could disagree
about who it's going to be.
It's going to go
right to the wire.
[tense music plays]
Begiristain: Three months
to, to the end of the season.
We have survived
after to win the Treble
and what it, what it means
to manage that.
I think we have survived
some difficult situations
with the injuries of Kevin,
the less minutes
of Jack Grealish.
And, and of course
the two months
that Erling Haaland didn't play.
-The only way to win,
and to win again,
is to be relentless.
Everybody at the club,
from the chairman and the board,
to everybody
that works in the club,
thinking ahead and asking,
what else?
What more can we do?
What can we do better?
Begiristain: Julian and Phil,
they have solved the problem.
Uh, we can say now that
we are back on, on, on track
and we are where we have to be.
So, so fighting for, for the,
for the three trophies.
Woman: Hey, there. How are you?
[man laughs]
[]
Al Mubarak: It's social,
it's fun, it's competitive.
I love it.
Derby weekend,
big game.
The focus is completely
on the game.
All our focus is on the game,
but to, you know, switch off,
spend some quality time,
have fun,
a competitive game as you see.
It's a lot of fun.
[]
Man 1: You know
how much is at stake,
you know the bragging rights
and all of that kind of thing.
But I think the most
important thing for City
is, is getting the points,
and, for me,
the most important thing
is just
actually getting
that four in a row.
Man 2: Arsenal are away
at Sheffield United,
that looks straightforward.
Liverpool go to Forest,
not as straightforward,
but still should win it.
So then the pressure
is on City,
but, really,
this also seems like
quite a straightforward game.
[players yelling and chattering]
Interviewer: The noise
in the media was that
this was an easy game for City.
How do you cut through
all of that noise?
-You cannot change it.
But at the same time, they are
not changing my opinion either.
And after,
make the players realise
through the images,
through my words,
through respecting the tradition
that United have.
And, on the other hand,
I understand
what we have done
in the last six years.
When the people are going to say
that City is favourite,
I would say,
"Yeah, what can I say?"
So we have done
what we have done.
It's normal that the people
talk about that.
[]
Announcer: This is derby day
in Manchester.
City against United.
Local rivalry
on a global scale.
Man: BBC Radio Manchester.
[jingle plays]
-Derby day will never
not be special.
-When it's derby day,
it's derby day.
Announcer:
At Old Trafford in October,
Manchester City came away as
very comfortable 3-nil winners.
-I've spent a long, long time in
the doldrums of Alex Ferguson
and losing and losing
and losing.
-It's what you look forward
to in the league.
-We've took enough stick
off them for so long.
It is now our time to give
them the stick.
[chanting]
...ole, ole!
Champions again, ole, ole!
-All you want is to be able
to say that,
yeah, you know what?
We are the pride of Manchester.
And it does mean the world
to every single Blue.
Announcer:
Manchester City arrive
at the second derby
of the season
in ominous form.
[cheering]
[fans chanting]
Announcer 1: Game face from
Bruno Fernandes in the tunnel.
Announcer 2:
I'm really looking forward
to this one today, Conor.
I love these derby matches.
Everybody around the world
tuning into this one right now
will be seriously
revved up for it.
Announcer 3: Bruno Fernandes.
Set it for Rashford,
oh, he has ripped it in!
[]
Marcus Rashford with force!
[fans cheering]
Announcer 1:
Good ball from Doku to Rodri.
Allowed to turn.
Foden... Haaland!
-How did that happen?
-Announcer 3: Oh!
Announcer 1: Oh!
Announcer 2: Astonishing!
-[indistinct chatter]
-[bleep]
-You have another.
You have another.
[imitating explosion sounds]
Announcer 1: Not just the local
bragging rights of the derby,
but the wider context
of the title race.
Quite simply an enormous
45 minutes to come.
City trying
to stretch the game.
Rodri.
Foden, oh, blimey!
Blistering hit from Phil Foden!
Announcer 2: On his 100th
Premier League start,
Phil Foden has scored
a priceless goal for City.
Guardiola [chuckles]: He can do
whatever he wants.
He has a natural talent, a gift.
That is special.
[chanting]
City! City! City!
Announcer 1: Pep Guardiola
hoping that the tide
is now turning in the derby.
Announcer 2:
Alvarez and Foden...
[fans cheering]
Seizes the day!
Seizes the derby day!
-Come on!
Announcer 1: Oh, Rodri
has got it off Amrabat.
Erling Haaland!
The derby is
done and dusted now!
Manchester City
come from 1-nil down
to make it 3-1 in their favour.
[whistle blows]
Man: Phil Foden, to say
he was a boyhood Blue.
I think he is the greatest asset
to Manchester City that we have.
-Our Phil. [chuckles]
They call him "our Phil,"
you know,
'cause he's here
from Manchester, isn't he?
He's, he's a Manc.
-I mean, we call him
the Stockport Iniesta.
His talent is immense.
He's fantastic.
-In the absence of
Kevin De Bruyne
he stepped up
with the goals and the assists.
I think he's had his best season
in a sky blue shirt by far.
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct conversations]
Clive Wilton: I was
in my usual position
which is just at
the start of the tunnel.
The players were
coming off the pitch
and the backroom staff
and everyone
always high fives
and says congratulations.
Uh, the backroom staff
were giving me
a bit more of a hug than normal.
So I began to think
that they knew the news
I'd been given.
[sniffles]
Clive I don't forget.
In, uh, in the COVID time,
uh, when my mum
passed away, so...
The only person
who was 24/7, it was him.
Clive all the time was there.
[inaudible]
Life gave him a, a huge punch.
Go and win.
Go and win it.
Go and win it.
Love you.
[indistinct chatter]
Man 1: Well, you have
to go back a decade
for when a title race was
this tight between three teams.
Man 2: Liverpool have
got momentum
and energy
and the Klopp factor.
Arsenal, at this moment,
are the best performing team
and City have got
the most experience.
They've, all three,
got something.
But this is where
we're gonna find out
about all three of them.
-Now that month
was such a crucial month,
and in the media we were
all so excited about it
because we felt
that this could define
which way the title
was gonna go
because everyone
was playing everyone.
In terms of those that were
challenging for the title.
-Get your match day programme!
Announcer 1: Welcome to Anfield.
Liverpool against
Manchester City,
Jrgen Klopp against
Pep Guardiola.
Potentially for the final time
in the Premier League.
Announcer 2: It is a game
that could shake the course
of the Premier League
title race.
That's a clever ball
and Stones at the front post!
And it's a rehearsed
corner kick move
that pays huge dividends
for Manchester City!
John Stones has caught
Liverpool cold!
Rodri: I have to say that
the game against Liverpool
was another of the big moments
of the season.
[]
[indistinct announcement]
Announcer 2: And Michael Oliver
points to the spot!
[whistle blows]
Mac Allister makes
no mistake!
And Liverpool
are back level!
Announcer 1: Having equalised,
I think Pep knows
that there might be
a storm coming.
-And we couldn't find our game
and with the way that we play,
and we struggled a little bit.
And that moment,
in our minds, it was like,
"We cannot lose
this game.
"If we don't win it, it's okay,
but we cannot lose it."
Announcer 2:
And that will be it.
The referee
blows the whistle.
It's a point apiece.
Arsenal stay top.
Liverpool 1,
Manchester City 1.
Lineker: I think any draw
at Anfield you take.
I mean, that is
a tough place to go and play.
[indistinct chatter]
Man: Well done, boys!
Well done, boys!
Jaswal: It really was
a heavyweight clash at Anfield.
And that solitary point
meant that the title race
was still finely in the balance
ahead of Arsenal's
big trip to the Etihad.
[]
[fans whistling]
Announcer 1: Manchester City
are seeking
an unprecedented
fourth title in a row.
They must give this everything.
Announcer 2: Now or never.
Rodri driving, Raya claiming.
[whistle blowing]
They'll have to
settle for that.
Liverpool will certainly
settle for that.
It is back-to-back
Premier League draws
for Manchester City
against their title rivals.
The Etihad must wait to see
who is going to take
a big leap in this title race.
[indistinct chatter]
Lineker: We all thought
it was gonna be
this thrilling,
end-to-end football match,
and it-it-it was anything but.
Jaswal: It ended up being
a little bit disappointing,
but I guess there was
just so much at stake.
And it meant that the title race
just dragged on
a little bit longer.
[all clapping]
Bajkowski: This is
the end of March
and it felt like
City were weaker,
and I think they finished
the day in third.
And at that point it looked like
it was gonna be tough
for City to win
the league again.
[]
Jaswal: A mouthwatering week
of European action.
And Manchester City's
Champions League title defence
continues against the
14-time winners, Real Madrid.
[]
Man: Yeah, a nice little
mental break, isn't it,
from all the pressures
of a really, really tight
three-horse
Premier League title?
Another huge test
for Pep Guardiola's side.
-I think Manchester City,
Real Madrid nowadays
is just one of
the great fixtures.
-Match scarves, souvenirs,
today's game!
[kisses]
-Come on City!
Come on City!
-In our favour today
we've got the crowd.
We've got everyone behind 'em.
And I'm sure they'll
absolutely feed off that.
[]
Announcer: It's the
Champions League holders
against the competition's
most successful side.
It is tonight
a winner takes all
confrontation.
Announcer 1: I think City
have dominated the ball.
Totally dominant for probably
the last 70 minutes
of the game.
Announcer 2: And City will go
into a penalty shootout.
They've never before been
in a penalty shootout
in the Champions League.
If Rdiger scores,
Manchester City are out.
[anxious music playing]
Soriano: There might be cases
where we've won.
But we've made mistakes
that we don't correct
because the joy of winning
kind of covers everything.
When you lose,
it's really painful.
And you go over and over
thinking about the game.
And from that experience,
you learn.
It's painful, but you learn.
-They are sad, they will
remain for days, maybe weeks.
But, uh, in football,
you know exactly
that you are
going to lose games.
You have to decide the way
you're going to lose games.
It's painful.
You have to live
with that pain.
[]
Announcer: So another convincing
win for Manchester City
as they move back to the top
of the Premier League table.
They have the momentum
in the title race
and have been there
and done it in previous years.
Both Liverpool and Arsenal
play tomorrow
knowing that at this stage
of the season,
they can ill afford
any slip-ups.
-Well done, guys.
-There's a real twist
over a weekend.
City win...
and then on the Sunday...
Woman: It's been
an extraordinary day
for the title race with both
Liverpool and Arsenal
ending up on the losing sides.
And now with
six games left to go,
Manchester City have
a two-point lead
at the top
of the Premier League table.
Bajkowski: You had
two games happening
within hours of each other
that fundamental changed
the title race
in a way that absolutely
nobody saw coming.
-And that moment,
in our minds it was like,
"We're here again.
"I don't know
if we're gonna win it,
but we're here again to fight."
-Then you thought,
"Here we go again.
It's now in City's hands."
Man: Man City thrive
in this environment now.
I think they'll be looking
at it now going,
"This is where we go
another gear."
Woman: Both Arsenal
and Liverpool know
that Manchester City
at this stage of the season
are capable of winning
every single game.
-Guardiola:
Once they are there, uh,
and the machine starts working,
no one can stop it.
I think what defines
this group of players,
the guys who last season,
but the previous ones
that did it,
they do their best
when they are at their limit.
Announcer 1: And now
to the current group
who are in the same business
of making history.
Announcer 2: Just three weeks
until the final ball is kicked
when fates will be sealed,
champions crowned.
[]
Announcer 1:
Pulled back by Walker,
De Bruyne's header!
It's Foden,
and it's deflected in,
and Manchester City
tighten their grip!
[]
-Guardiola: Remember
Nottingham Forest?
We played not really good.
I would say
Nottingham Forest deserved
maybe a draw,
maybe to win the game.
[fans cheering]
But in that moment,
the players know,
"We cannot lose."
[cheering continues]
At the beginning of the season
you cannot live with that.
Because it's 38 games,
you can not tell them,
"Guys if you lose today,
the first game of the season,
we are going to lose
the Premier League."
Mm, no.
But when we arrive in the
last six, seven, eight, nine,
if we lose those games,
if we draw those games,
we don't win it.
[upbeat music playing]
[fans cheering]
The ball you have to defend.
The keeper has to save.
In the right moment,
the striker scored a goal.
[cheering]
When you have that,
the team proved it.
They know, they know
we cannot lose.
[whistle blows]
Announcer: Manchester City
march on.
And now it's down to Arsenal
because they simply
have to win.
Fulham nil,
Manchester City 4.
[fans chanting]
-I think the one game
that we all thought
um, would be the crux,
and that was
when Manchester City
had to go to Tottenham.
Of all things, Tottenham
could possibly win
the title for Arsenal.
And their fans
didn't know what to do.
They want, they want
their team to win,
but they don't want
their team to win!
[indistinct chanting]
Man 1: We have a key game
in the race for the title
because Spurs are taking
on Manchester City.
-Come on, City.
Man 2: It's effectively the one
that sets up the final day.
City win
and they're in charge,
they fail to win,
Arsenal are in charge.
Man 1: Yeah.
[inaudible]
Announcer: Manchester City
have never won at this stadium.
[chanting]
Rodri: I've been here
five years.
I've played
four times there.
Never won, never scored
a goal, always lose.
Announcer:
City on the edge of glory.
There is a lot, a lot
on the line here.
-It was one of
the toughest games
I've played in my career.
They needed to win also
because they want to qualify
for the Champions League.
It was like, "Is everything
against us?" You know.
Like, everything against us
and we have to
overcome this situation.
Announcer: Romero in
in front of Haaland.
Oh, Hjbjerg uncertain!
Foden denied by Vicario!
Huge chance for
Manchester City!
This one remains
all square for now.
[]
[indistinct chatter]
[chatter continues]
[chatter continues]
[all cheer enthusiastically]
Announcer 1: As we see
the City boss there...
Look, he trusts
his players.
He'll believe that they will
come up with the solutions
and find what's required.
Announcer 2:
Bernardo Silva can join.
De Bruyne,
Haaland wants it in!
[triumphant music playing]
And City have their way!
They reach out for it!
Fans: [chanting] City! City!
Announcer 2: Finally,
the silence is cracked!
Announcer 1: Now Kulusevski.
Announcer 2:
It's a dangerous ball.
Ederson had to be
so brave there.
There's appeals
from his teammates
that he's been
fouled by Romero.
Announcer 1: He doesn't
shirk out from challenges,
does he, Ederson?
An extremely
brave goalkeeper.
Well, he has been
a very dependable deputy
when called upon
this season, Stefan Ortega.
[whistle blows]
[]
[inaudible]
Announcer 1:
Rodri, and Rodri backwards
to the halfway line to Akanji.
And Akanji is under pressure!
And he's lost the ball!
Announcer 2:
Oh, it's a steal here for Son!
And Son Heung-Min
is through...
[mysterious music playing]
[jarring stinger]
[clock ticking]
Ortega makes the biggest save
of his Manchester City career!
Announcer 1:
What a stop that is.
That's everything on
the line there.
-Oh, the Spurs save.
Such a pivotal moment
when it came to the title race.
-I thought it was over.
That's got to be up there with
one of the greatest moments.
Guardiola: Stefan knew,
"I have to save that ball,
otherwise Arsenal is going to
win the Premier League."
And he saved it.
And the people say,
"Ah, Son missed."
No, Son didn't miss.
Stefan saved it.
-I've always been fascinated
by goalkeepers.
Specifically by their
mental strength.
You think about that moment
and the anatomy of that moment.
Everything happened very slow.
Maybe the league
is over.
Announcer 1: In every season
there is a defining moment
for this Manchester City side.
In a split second,
titles can be won or lost.
This team always gets
those moments right.
Announcer 2: Oh, it could be
an own goal!
Cleared off the line!
Remarkable!
Had a look, had a hit!
Oh! Captain Fantastic!
Announcer 3: De Bruyne...
Yes!
Gndoan again!
[]
-[whistle blows]
-Announcer 4: Down goes Doku.
Penalty Manchester City!
This can decide the day
right here right now.
Haaland...
puts Manchester City
on the edge of glory!
[cheering]
[bleeping]
[]
[indistinct chatter]
-Are you all right, you?
A lovely day for golf.
No excuses in this sport.
Never wish injury to someone,
especially some of your mates.
So, like, when I saw him
after the game,
I was like "Oh, oof!"
-When I saw him
coming to me, I was just like,
"Do whatever you want,
you don't score."
Now, these are the situations
I like the most.
-Of all the players that you
want through at that point
it would be Son, because he's
such a brilliant finisher.
Stefan Ortega: For me, what I
try to do in one-v-ones is,
just try to stay
as long as possible
and don't move
like a crazy guy.
And if a striker
just sees you,
and you just see
the green shirt,
and the green shirt
is not moving,
I think this is probably,
for striker, horrible.
You have to go in his head.
And I think I did it.
-Crazy.
[]
[inaudible]
Announcer:
The Premier League title race
is going down to the final day
with the champions
Manchester City,
two points ahead of Arsenal
as they chase an unprecedented
fourth title in a row.
Woman: Leaders Manchester City
host West Ham
while second placed
Arsenal face Everton.
[indistinct chatter]
[]
[fans cheering]
[]
[cheering continues]
[]
[cheering continues]
Man 1: Big day.
A win will do it.
Man 2: For me,
I think there'll be
some sense of, like,
nervousness,
but it's like excitement,
you know,
to get a chance to win
a league title
on your home ground.
[fans cheering]
[chanting] City! City!
City! City!
Announcer:
One win away from the title,
but in the back of their heads,
this City team also know
they could be
one slip-up from failure.
[]
[sputters]
Allez!Let's go!
[all cheer]
[]
Announcer 1: Ninety minutes
from history.
Announcer 2: They've
got to make sure today
they start this game
really well.
[]
Announcer 1: Bernardo Silva.
Phil Foden!
Phil Foden...
Oh!
...for Manchester City!
Inside 90 seconds!
[inspiring music playing]
Announcer 2:
Just the sort of start
that they could
only have dreamed of.
[fans exclaiming]
[]
[whistle blows]
Foden!
[fans cheering]
Another magic day
for a magic Manchester man!
Announcer 1:
Ward-Prowse with the corner.
Announcer 2: Kudus!
-Announcer 1: What?
-Announcer 2: Hang on!
Hold the phone
in the title race!
We've just had a very big
last few seconds!
-It would have been enjoyable
if we could have gone
to the half time with 2-0,
but Kudus made
an incredible goal.
[]
Announcer 1: Manchester City
who appeared to be
floating their way
towards the title
now suddenly have to roll up
their sleeves again.
Guardiola: And I felt
in the locker room,
and I felt in the environment
that they were scared.
[snaps fingers]
[inaudible]
[]
[players clapping]
Announcer 1: So we're
into the final 45 minutes
of an epic,
23-24 Premier League campaign.
Martin degaard...
There it is!
Arsenal lead
for the first time.
They are now doing
their bit.
[inaudible]
Announcer 2: Walker.
De Bruyne.
Announcer 1: Rodri...
rattles City to within reach!
[heroic music playing]
-That goal, that gave us,
you know, the, the calm
to, to know that,
yeah, it was, it was done
after all of the effort
of what we lived
in the season.
You know, with good moments,
with bad moments,
you know, ups and downs.
I saw the celebration,
it was like,
"Yeah, finally." You know.
"Finally it's here."
[heroic music continues]
Guardiola: When Rodri scored
the third goal, after I felt,
"Okay, we are close to doing
something like anyone has done."
Announcer 1: There is the sound,
perhaps of Arsenal
hearts breaking.
Announcer 2: The job
is surely done now...
[whistle blows]
...as John Brooks
blows the final whistle!
Manchester City
are the Premier League
champions again!
Arsenal come up
agonisingly short.
-Sometimes you just
have to step back and go,
this is something that no team
has ever achieved
in this country.
And only one man
has managed to do it,
and one club has
managed to do it.
He's redefined
what success looks like.
Bajkowski: There is a reason why
it's never been done before.
You know, this City team,
they have set
an awful lot of records.
But I think four in a row
is probably
the one that will
never be beaten.
[cheering]
[triumphant music playing]
All [chanting]: Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
[cheering continues]
Fans [chanting]:
Champions again ole, ole!
Champions again!
Champions again!
Champions again, ole, ole!
[cheering]
All: Champions again, ole, ole!
Champions again!
Champions again!
Champions again, ole, ole!
Champions again, ole, ole!
Lineker: To win
four Premier Leagues
in a row is astonishing.
To deliver that consistency
over four seasons,
in the most
competitive league imaginable
is an extraordinary
achievement.
Guardiola: To do something,
like I put it,
I ordered to put it,
the sentence.
There's no team who have won
four Premier Leagues
consecutive in a row...
yet.
-Ballon d'Or, Rodri.
-Sorry for that, guys.
Announcer 1: Rodri!
[]
Announcer 2: Foden!
1-1!
[soft triumphant music playing]
Al Mubarak: This is all
historic achievements
that will be
very hard, very hard
to emulate or beat.
And the beauty of it is, uh,
there's a lot more still
to achieve.
And this is what this group,
uh, lives for.
So I'm, I'm excited
about the future
as much as I'm excited
about the past.
[]
[Going Out A Legend
by Derek Minor playing]
That's all I know
Yeah
Yeah
That's all I know
That's all I know
That's all I know
That's all I know
That's all I know
That's all I know
[]
[scatting]
[]
[scatting continues]