Premier League 2021-22 Round-Up: City comeback clinches title & Spurs claim fourth

Ryan Baldi
23 May 2022
3:00 min read

There were echoes of Aguero in City's dramatic Villa comeback, writes Ryan Baldi...

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Man City echoed the dramatic climax of their first Premier League title to retain their crown with a three-goal comeback against Aston Villa, writes Ryan Baldi...

"Liverpool can yet console themselves with a third trophy of the season this coming Saturday, though, when they will take on Real Madrid the Champions League final. The Reds are available at 2.1411/10 to on the Exchange to claim a seventh European Cup."

This month marked a decade since Sergio Aguero's later winner over Queens Park Rangers provided one of the Premier League's most iconic moments and delivered a first top-flight title in over 40 years for Manchester City.

And on Sunday, City again recorded a dramatic, come-from-behind 3-2 victory at the Etihad to secure another Premier League title, this time their second in succession and their fifth since Aguero's famous strike.

Last weekend's unexpected slip-up at the London Stadium, drawing 2-2 with West Ham, meant City entered the 2021-22 season's final afternoon of fixtures knowing only a victory would assure them of retaining their crown. Anything short of three points and Liverpool could steal the title with a win over Wolves at Anfield.

City welcomed Aston Villa - managed, of course, by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard - to the Etihad, and the headlines began to write themselves when former Liverpool favourite Philippe Coutinho added to Matty Cash's first-half header to give the away side a 2-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Liverpool, presented with a golden opportunity to keep their quadruple dream alive, toiled versus their own Midlands opposition. Some calamitous defending from the Reds saw Pedro Neto put Wolves ahead in just the third minute. Sadio Mane equalised midway through the first half, but Liverpool struggled to find another breakthrough.

By the time they did, with Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson scoring in the 84th and 89th minute respectively, it already looked like too little, too late. City had fought back against Villa, scoring three goals - through Ilkay Gundogan (2) and Rodri - in the space of five minutes to send them en route to a successful title defence.

City are already favourites to become only the second team in Premier League history - after local rivals Manchester United - to retain the title for three successive seasons next term. They are available to back at 1.674/6 on the Betfair Exchange in the 2022-23 Premier League Winner market, while Liverpool are available at 3.1511/5.

Liverpool can yet console themselves with a third trophy of the season this coming Saturday, though, when they will take on Real Madrid the Champions League final. The Reds are available at 2.1411/10 to on the Exchange to claim a seventh European Cup.

Spurs secure fourth

Like City, Tottenham entered the final round of fixtures with their fate in their own hands.

Their crucial 3-0 north-London derby demolition of Arsenal 10 days prior had made them the front-runners for fourth spot and a return to the Champions League for the first time since they lost in the final to Liverpool in 2019.

And with a trip to take on already-relegated Norwich at Carrow Road, Tottenham's final hurdle was eminently surmountable.

It was fitting that it was Spurs' stellar front three who completed the job, too. Ever since the January addition of Swedish winger Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus, adding to the already-formidable duo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, Tottenham's front line has been comparable with the Premier League's best.

Kulusevski and Kane put Spurs up 2-0 with barely half an hour played, before the Swedish international notched again in the second half and Son scored twice, taking his tally for the season to 23 league goals - enough for a share of the Golden Boot with Salah - and clinching a strolling 5-0 victory. Son had been backed at 80/1 for the Golden Boot midway through March.

Spurs were ninth in the table when Antonio Conte was appointed in November. The Italian tactician, a Premier League winner previously with Chelsea, has proven once again his methods deliver quick and significant improvements.

Arsenal plundered five of their own in a 5-1 win over Everton at the Emirates, but the damage had been done a week and a half ago in the derby. The Gunners' season of progress under Mikel Arteta ends with them having to settle for fifth and a Europa League berth.

Manchester United, meanwhile, ended 2021-22 with their second-lowest finish of the Premier League era, clinching sixth and the final Europa League spot thanks only to the fact West Ham were beaten 3-1 by Brighton. With new manager Erik ten Hag watching on at Selhurst Park, United lost limply to Crystal Palace, with former Red Devil Wilfried Zaha scoring the game's only goal.

Clarets condemned

In the battle to avoid the drop between Burnley and Leeds, one side's decision to part ways with a beloved manager mid-season was ultimately vindicated while the other's now looks decidedly unwise.

Leeds sacked Marcelo Bielsa in February and installed American coach Jesse Marsch. The Yorkshire side's form since has hardly lit up the league, with no wins in five games going into Sunday's showdown away to Brentford.

But Marsch managed to arrest Leeds' slide just enough and their hard-fought 2-1 win over the Bees was sufficient to keep them in the top flight for a third straight season.

Burnley, on the other hand, controversially dispensed with Sean Dyche on 15 April and a four-match unbeaten run seemed to point towards the struggling Clarets having turned a corner. But they have not won since, losing three of their last four games, including a 2-1 reverse to Newcastle at Turf Moor on Sunday that has condemned them to the Championship, ending a six-year Premier League run.