MANCHESTER
Goals from Samir
Nasri and skipper Vincent Kompany saw Manchester City to a 2-0 win over
West Ham as they claimed their second Premier League title in three
seasons.
Sunday's final day of the league season
victory at City's Eastlands ground crowned a triumphant first English
campaign in charge for Manuel Pellegrini, the Chilean manager
celebrating his first domestic championship in Europe.
Winners of the League Cup earlier in the year, City added the championship in fairly routine fashion.
While
City's main challengers Liverpool faltered in the past two weeks --
notably in losing at home to Chelsea and squandering a three-goal lead
to draw at Crystal Palace -- the unflappable Pellegrini ensured his club
kept their composure, culminating in Sunday's victory over Sam
Allardyce's Hammers.
By the time Nasri shot City into a
40th minute lead, the pressure around Eastlands had already been lifted
considerably with the surprise news from Anfield that Liverpool had
fallen behind to Newcastle.
That left Pellegrini's team
in the position of potentially being able to lose to West Ham and still
regain the title they won so memorably on the final day of the season
in 2012.
Nonetheless, defeat seemed highly unlikely with City enjoying 75 percent of the possession prior to the opening goal.
ADMIRABLE PATIENCE
Inevitably,
City made the pressure count before the half-time whistle as Yaya Toure
played a short ball to Nasri and the visiting defenders showed a rare
lapse in concentration by backing off the midfielder.
That
invited the France international to attempt a shot, which Nasri duly
did, producing a sweetly-struck right-foot effort which flew in via the
left-hand post and a slight touch from diving goalkeeper Adrian.
As
they had done in securing a vital midweek victory over Aston Villa,
City showed admirable patience prior to Nasri's strike, prodding and
probing at the opposition's defence without offering them any hope on
the counter-attack.
It took until the 18th minute for
Sergio Aguero, recalled after a lengthy injury lay-off, to test Adrian
with a 25-yard shot which was comfortably saved and, just as news
filtered through of the opening goal at Anfield, Toure's curling shot
just missed the target from the edge of the area.
Aleksandar
Kolarov's spectacular 30-yard attempt was tipped over acrobatically by
Adrian and Aguero showed nimble footwork on the by-line only for his
drag-back to be skied over the target by Edin Dzeko from six yards.
After
the goal, Aguero's glancing header flew just wide and David Silva's
shot was deflected onto the bar as City sought to ensure they enjoyed an
anxiety-free second half.
Ultimately, it required only
four minutes of that second period for City to kill off the contest and
ensure their 17th home victory in 19 league games this season.
Nasri's
left-wing corner was met by Dzeko who neatly twisted to turn the ball
goalwards, directly into the path of Kompany, who swept the ball in from
six yards.
Matt Taylor's shot from the edge of the
City area was well off target as City goalkeeper Joe Hart awaited his
first save of the match but, as news came through that Liverpool had
equalised in their game, it was merely a question of by how many
Pellegrini's team would win their title-decider.
Aguero
headed just wide from a Pablo Zabaleta cross, Silva's shot was
deflected behind and Aguero mishit from six yards after another Zabaleta
centre when it appeared easier to convert into the gaping West Ham
goal.
The closing minutes entered practice match
territory, although Adrian was required to save smartly with his feet to
block a close-range shot from Nasri.
Finally, West Ham
showed some fire, but in the incorrect manner, as a minor scuffle
between players from both teams in the final minute ended with Aguero
and Mark Noble both being cautioned for a needless clash.
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