A closer look at fast-finishing Man City’s formidable season run-in record

Manchester City snatched a last-gasp win over Newcastle on Saturday as they look to kick-start their traditional title charge in the second half of the Premier League season.

Pep Guardiola’s side have won five of the last six titles and here, the PA news agency looks at their formidable record in the run-in.

Manchester City

City have won at least 14 of their final 19 games in each of the last six seasons, with a minimum of 45 points in that stretch (2.37 per game) in their five title-winning campaigns and 43 in 2019-20 when they finished second to Liverpool.

That includes the Premier League’s only 100-point tally in 2017-18 and the memorable battle the following season in which Liverpool set another record by finishing second with 97 points.

That season required City’s best run-in of all, winning 18 of their last 19 games and the last 14 in succession to stay a point ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s side, who themselves finished with nine straight wins.

Captain Vincent Kompany and manager Pep Guardiola on stage with the trophy at Manchester City

City won 14 of their last 19 games in 2019-20 but lost four – to Tottenham, Manchester United, Chelsea and Southampton – as they finished 18 points behind the Reds, who had built up a dominant lead by winning 18 and drawing one before the halfway point.

Guardiola’s side have won 15, 14 and 15 of their 19 games in the second half of the three seasons since, winning the title on each occasion. That includes another one-point winning margin in 2021-22, when Liverpool won 16 and drew three in the run-in.

In the six completed seasons going back to 2017-18, City won 90 out of 114 games in the second half of the campaign to earn 280 points. Oscar Bobb’s late goal at St James’ Park on Saturday provided