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Manchester City retained the Premier League title in the most dramatic of fashion as they hauled themselves back from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 with three goals in the final 15 minutes.

Ilkay Gundogan came off the bench to score twice with Rodri also on target as Pep Guardiola’s men held off Liverpool’s title charge to win the league by a point.

Liverpool came from a goal down to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 yesterday, but it was not enough to earn them their second Premier League title, as they finished second, one point behind champions Manchester City who beat Aston Villa 3-2.

Wolves took a shock lead three minutes in, when defender Ibrahima Konate misjudged a bouncing ball from a goal kick allowing Raul Jimenez to run in behind on the right and pick out Pedro Neto to side-foot in his first goal of the season.

Manchester City

However, Liverpool equalised in the 24th minute when a cute Thiago Alcantara backheel set Sadio Mane free to charge at goal and strike an effort that was so fierce, goalkeeper Jose Sa could only get a hand to it before it went in.

Sadio had to replaced at halftime, due to an injury, by John Ruddy and soon after Liverpool brought on Mohamed Salah in search of the winner and peppered shots at goal, only to see them continually blocked by Wolves               defenders.

They found the breakthrough seven minutes from full time when Salah squeezed in a loose ball in the box. Full back Andy Robertson then put the gloss on the scoreline late on by sliding in Roberto Firmino’s cutback.

Meanwhile, Arsenal did all they could as they hammered Everton 5-1 yesterday but there was little air of celebration for the home fans as Tottenham Hotspur’s win at Norwich City ensured that they took the final Champions League berth to leave Arsenal fifth.

A week ago this fixture promised to be dripping with jeopardy, with Arsenal still strongly in the Champions League hunt and Everton fighting for survival, but Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United left them needing Spurs to slip up, while Everton’s 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace ensured their safety.

Tottenham hotspur

Relieved Everton coach Frank Lampard made six changes and it showed as his team were over-run for most of the game, deservedly trailing at halftime to a Gabriel Martinelli penalty via a VAR handball call and an Eddie Nketiah header within four minutes, before substitute Donny van de Beek pulled one back in stoppage time.

Arsenal repeated the trick within three minutes midway through the second half as Cedric Soares swept in the third and Gabriel Magalhaes banged in the fourth before Martin Odegaard topped it off with an excellent goal, drifting past two defenders then slotting into the corner.

Everton

At fulltime the home fans gave Arsenal a good send-off but it was the Everton supporters, still giddy from their Crystal Palace comeback on Thursday, who were making all the noise as Manchester City completed an incredible comeback of their own to pip Liverpool to the Premier League title.

Arsenal, who last played in the Champions League in 2016-17 after 19 straight years of making it under Arsene Wenger, will have to settle for a place in the Europa League, while Everton will just be relieved to be still in the top flight — where they have spent more years than any other club — come August.

Burnley were relegated from the Premier League yesterday, the final day of the 2021/22 season.

The Clarets had to better the result of relegation rivals Leeds to extend their six-season stay in English football’s top flight.

But Burnley lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle while Leeds won 2-1 away to Brentford. — AFP