Manchester City

The Citizens missed out on silverware in both domestic cups and Champions League glory still eludes them, but their recognition as England's finest remains intact, despite a closely-fought battle with title rivals Liverpool.

In a season full of highs, lows and plenty of drama, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look back at Manchester City's memorable 2021-22 campaign.

SEASON OVERVIEW

Final league position: 1st

EFL Cup: Fourth Round

FA Cup: Semi-finals

Champions League: Semi-finals

Top scorer: Riyad Mahrez (24)

Most assists: Kevin De Bruyne (14)

After club legend Sergio Aguero bid farewell to the Etihad Stadium at the end of last season, Man City were on the hunt for a replacement and targeted England's Euro 2020 captain Harry Kane. However, Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy turned down four bids from the Citizens and refused to let the striker leave.

City were unable to recruit a new number nine and instead turned their attention to Jack Grealish, who became the first £100m player in English football when he arrived from Aston Villa in August.

Grealish made his debut just two days later, but he and Pep Guardiola's side began the new campaign on the wrong foot, as they lost 1-0 to Leicester City at Wembley in the Community Shield, before suffering defeat at Spurs by the same scoreline on the opening day of the Premier League season, although the latter result proved to be their only away loss in the league all season.

The Citizens then put together a seven-game unbeaten run across all competitions, including 5-0 wins over both Norwich and Arsenal, a 6-3 Champions League group-stage win over RB Leipzig and a slender 1-0 victory away at title contenders Chelsea.

Defeat in Europe away at Paris Saint-Germain and a 2-2 draw at Anfield against title rivals Liverpool would then follow for City, before their four-year dominance in the EFL Cup came to an end on October 27 when they were beaten 5-3 on penalties by West Ham United in the fourth round. Just three days later, City then suffered a surprise 2-0 league defeat at home to Crystal Palace. That result meant City had dropped 10 points from as many league matches and had slipped five points behind leaders Chelsea.

Guardiola's men quickly brushed aside this minor blip and went on to win 15 of their next 16 games across all competitions, scoring 45 goals in the process, with their only defeat coming in the Champions League away at RB Leipzig having already qualified as group winners. A 1-1 draw at Southampton at the end of January ended their 12-game winning streak in the Premier League, although they still boasted a six-point lead at the summit over their nearest challengers Liverpool.

After four successive wins across all competitions in February, City ended the month with a disappointing 3-2 Premier League defeat against Tottenham at the Etihad, with summer transfer target Harry Kane scoring twice including a dramatic 95th-minute winner. Liverpool were now breathing down their necks as they moved to within three points of the summit.

City's comfortable 4-1 triumph over rivals Manchester United was their highlight in March, while their low point in this month was a goalless draw away at Crystal Palace, which allowed an in-form Liverpool outfit to move to within one point of the top.

In April, the Citizens faced a challenging set of fixtures with pairs of alternating games between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool. The Citizens edged past Atletico 1-0 in the Champions League quarter-finals after a fiery second leg in the Spanish capital, and in between these two ties they were able to draw 2-2 with Liverpool to keep the Premier League title race in their hands. Jurgen Klopp's men, however, gained revenge in the FA Cup semi-final as they beat an understrength City side 3-2 at Wembley.

Guardiola and co then came out on top in a seven-goal thriller in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at home to Real Madrid, but despite winning the game the Citizens came away deflated having failed to register a more commanding lead.

Missed opportunities in both the first and second legs proved costly as City were condemned to a heartbreaking Champions League exit at the Santiago Bernabeu when Los Blancos produced a historic comeback in stoppage time with a brace from Rodrygo before Karim Benzema netted the winner in extra time. After suffering elimination from two cup competitions within a month, City had no other choice but to brush themselves down and put all their efforts into their final four Premier League fixtures.

Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers were the next two teams standing in their way, but City dismantled both clubs, winning by an aggregate score of 10-1, before having to rescue a point at West Ham United after going two goals down. Riyad Mahrez had the chance to win the game but missed from the penalty spot five minutes from the end, meaning the title race would be decided on the final day.

Man City knew that victory at home to Aston Villa would clinch the title, and while many football fans and pundits were confident they would get the job done, Steven Gerrard's men had other ideas. Villa were leading 2-0 heading into the final 15 minutes before three goals in five minutes from Ilkay Gundogan (2) and Rodri turned the game on its head in dramatic fashion. Liverpool also came from behind to beat Wolves, but it was City who held on to clinch their fourth title in five seasons, ending the 2021-22 season on a memorable high.

PREMIER LEAGUE STATS

Wins: 29 (1st)

Draws: 6 (=17th)

Losses: 3 (19th)

Goals scored: 99 (1st)

Goals conceded: 26 (=20th)

Yellow cards: 42 (20th)

Red cards: 2 (=9th)

Passes: 26,132 (1st)

Shots: 713 (2nd)

Big chances missed: 65 (1st)

Saves: 62 (20th)

Tackles: 498 (20th)

Own goals: (20th)

Hit woodwork: 24 (1st)

Clearances: 368 (20th)

HOW DID IT COMPARE TO LAST SEASON?

City cruised to the title last season, claiming 86 points and finishing 12 clear of rivals Manchester United in second place. This term, the Citizens faced a much sterner test in their battle with Liverpool, but they actually ended the campaign with seven more points.

As for the other domestic competitions, City were unable to claim a fifth successive EFL Cup and saw their 1826-day run without defeat in the competition come to an end at the hands of West Ham in the fourth round back in October.

After losing in the semi-finals of the FA Cup to Arsenal in 2019-20 and then to Chelsea at the same stage last season, the Citizens were eliminated in the last four for the third consecutive campaign when a much-changed side were beaten 3-2 against Liverpool at Wembley last month.

The Champions League, meanwhile, remains an elusive holy grail for the Citizens as their loss to Chelsea in the final last season was followed by a dramatic semi-final exit at the hands of Real Madrid.

Just the one major trophy was picked up by City this season compared to a Premier League and EFL Cup double 12 months ago, but nevertheless, this year's top-flight triumph means they have now won 11 trophies in the last five years, lifting at least one piece of silverware in each season, a stark contrast to the zero claimed on the red side of Manchester during the same period.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

For the second time in three seasons, Kevin De Bruyne has been named the Premier League Player of the Season, joining an exclusive group alongside Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo and Nemanja Vidic in winning the award on more than one occasion.

The 30-year-old ended the campaign as City's top scorer in the Premier League and as the top scoring midfielder in the division, with a career-high 15 strikes in 30 appearances. Across all competitions, the Belgian found the net 19 times and registered 14 assists in 45 games.

City have managed to cope when De Bruyne has not been in the side, winning 10 out of 12 matches in all tournaments, but when he does play, his influence is invaluable.

The Belgian has been a joy to watch for a number of years now and this campaign was another in which he made his mark, showcasing his talent on a consistent basis and playing a starring role in City's charge to the title.

The exciting prospect of De Bruyne linking up with summer signing Erling Braut Haaland next season is one City supporters are already licking their lips at heading into next season.

STANDOUT RESULT

While there were a plethora of impressive results in 2021-22 which Man City can look back on with pride, their Champions League exit on May 4 is a standout result which they will want to quickly forget. The Citizens travelled to the Bernabeu with a 4-3 first-leg lead, although their advantage should have been greater considering the chances they missed at the Etihad.

City were on course to book their place in the final when Riyad Mahrez rifled a trademark left-footed strike into the top corner. Jack Grealish then came close to sealing the win with two efforts in the closing stages, firstly one cleared off the line by Eder Militao, before the left boot of Thibaut Courtois kept out the £100m man again just seconds later.

Those misses, and their wasted opportunities in the first leg, proved costly as Real Madrid somehow came back with two stoppage-time goals from substitute Rodrygo. A close-range tap in from the winger - Real's first shot on target - provided a glimmer of hope before the Brazilian rose above City's backline to head home and level the tie on aggregate. Within the space of just 84 seconds, City were forced into extra time.

In-form striker Karim Benzema then converted from the penalty spot after Ruben Dias had fouled him just three minutes after the interval, but without the likes of De Bruyne, Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus, who were all taken off by Guardiola in normal time, the Citizens were unable to find an equaliser and were sent packing in bitterly disappointing fashion.

On a positive note, City's impressive 5-1 victory away at Wolves just seven days later also deserves a mention, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring a 24-minute hat-trick before adding a fourth in the second half, to become only the third midfielder in Premier League history to score four goals in a single game, after Frank Lampard and Georginio Wijnaldum.