An incredible day of drama in the Premier League has ended with Manchester City champions, Burnley relegated, and Tottenham in the Champions League.
But those bald facts only tell a fraction of the story.
City came back from a 2-0 deficit at home to Aston Villa with 15 minutes left to win 3-2 with three goals in an extraordinary five minutes.
Meanwhile, at Anfield, Liverpool recovered from an early Wolves goal to win 3-1. It was not enough as City celebrated their fourth title in five years, one as dramatic as the one secured by Sergio Aguero ten years ago.
The drama began early, Pedro Neto stunning a hopeful Anfield as he gave Wolves a third minute lead, tapping in a cross from Raul Jimenez.
Liverpool lay siege to Wolves’ goal and levelled in the 24th minute. Thiago Alcantara’s clever back heel in midfield set Sadio Mane away, and he beat Jose Sa at his near post.
Anfield’s next roar came when news broke of a goal 40 miles away, at the Etihad, for Aston Villa full-back Matty Cash.
Meanwhile, at the bottom a 19th-minute penalty from Callum Wilson put Newcastle 1-0 up and dumped Burnley into the relegation zone. Another penalty, from Raphinha at Brentford, gave Leeds a three-point cushion which looked firm when Wilson added a second.
Back at the top former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho put Villa – managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard – 2-0 up.
But in a frantic, near-hysterical atmosphere, City came back with two goals from substitute Ilkay Gundogun sandwiching one from Rodri as Villa collapsed.
The news stunned Anfield depsite Mo Salah coming off the bench to put them ahead. Andy Robertson added a third, but the quadruple dream is over.
The final whistle in Manchester sparked scenes of unbridled joy at the Etihad with the crossbar giving way during a pitch invasion as players were joyously mobbed.
Back at the bottom Maxwell Cornet pulled a goal back at Turf Moor to give Burnley hope with 21 minutes left. That hope grew when Sergi Canos equalised for Brentford.
One goal for Burnley or Brentford would have been enough. But Burnley could not find an equaliser and Leeds, facing a Brentford side reduced to nine through injury and a Canos red card, scored in the 94th-minute through Jack Harrison.
The only non-event was the race for the fourth and final Champions League place. Spurs, needing to win at Norwich to secure it, won 5-0, Dejan Kulusevski and Son Hueng-min scoring twice and 32 Harry Kane once.
Son’s brace gave him a share of the golden boot with Salah.
That result made for a muted celebration at the Emirates where Arsenal, who hoped to profit from a Spurs slip-up, were forced to settle for a Europa League spot despite thrashing Everton, who had secured their safety in midweek, 5-1.
The minor European places were settled as expected too, though not without threat of a twist.
Wilfried Zaha punished an error by Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes to put Crystal Palace ahead after 37 minutes.
Soon after Michail Antonio gave West Ham the lead at Brighton taking them into the second Europa League place and sending Manchester United into the Europa Conference.
However, Brighton levelled through Joel Veltman’s first goal of the season, then added two more enabling Manchester United to take a Europa League place despite losing 1-0.
West Ham thus go into the Europa Conference.
Elsewhere Chelsea beat Watford 2-1 and Leicester defeated Southampton 4-1.
