Liverpool’s long wait for title over as Chelsea beat Manchester City

First top-flight crown in 30 years for Reds as goals from Pulisic and Willian dump City
Fans fly the flag at Anfield after Liverpool's title was confirmed by Chelsea's win over Man City. Picture: Martin Ricketts/PA WireFans fly the flag at Anfield after Liverpool's title was confirmed by Chelsea's win over Man City. Picture: Martin Ricketts/PA Wire
Fans fly the flag at Anfield after Liverpool's title was confirmed by Chelsea's win over Man City. Picture: Martin Ricketts/PA Wire

Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a league title is over after they were confirmed as Premier League champions.

Second-placed Manchester City had to win at Chelsea to prolong the Reds’ wait for at least another week but fell to a 2-1 defeat.

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That meant Jurgen Klopp’s side won the title – the club’s first since 1990 – with a record seven games to spare.

Liverpool’s remarkable league campaign has seen them win 28 of their 31 fixtures.

They can break City’s Premier League record of 100 points for a campaign if they go on to win five of their remaining seven matches.

The Reds’ title success is the 19th in the club’s history, moving them one behind Manchester United’s English record.

Liverpool will take to the field for the first time as champions next Thursday, when they travel to Manchester City.

Christian Pulisic got the first Chelsea goal after 36 minutes when he zipped on to the ball and away from City’s defence, before steadying himself and slotting a fine finish past the helpless Ederson.

Kevin De Bruyne whipped in a wonderful, equalising free-kick for City, but Willian coolly converted a penalty once Fernandinho was sent off for handball on a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check.

Meanwhile, Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy endured a night to forget as Arsenal returned to winning ways with victory over the 10-man Saints.

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The Gunners had lost their previous two games but a goal apiece for Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock earned Mikel Arteta’s side a 2-0 victory at St Mary’s.

McCarthy gifted Nketiah the ball for the opener and, after Jack Stephens had been dismissed for a late foul on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, he failed to hold an Alexandre Lacazette strike as Willock gobbled up the chance.

Having lost at Manchester City and Brighton since the resumption of the season, the three points were enough to take Arsenal back into the top-half.

There appeared to be no danger for the hosts as Jan Bednarek rolled a pass back to goalkeeper McCarthy – but he hit his clearance straight at Nketiah, who was left to roll the ball into an empty net.

In the second half, Southampton’s push for an equaliser was hit as Stephens was shown a red card for bringing down Aubameyang. The result was secured from the resulting free-kick, substitute Lacazette hitting the wall before his follow up was fumbled by McCarthy and allowed Willock to tuck away his maiden Premier League goal.

Nketiah said Arsenal had “fought and worked hard” to see off Saints. He said “I think it was a very important three points. We knew we had to roll our sleeves up and really fight for the three points and hopefully we can build on this and keep pushing forwards. It was difficult, they came out really strong in the second half and I thought all the boys fought and worked hard.”

Jay Rodriguez gave Burnley cause for cheer after a tough week as his 50th Clarets goal earned a 1-0 win over Watford.

The evening started with the club delivering another forceful response to the White Lives Matter Burnley banner flown over their 5-0 defeat at Manchester City on Monday night, while Sean Dyche awoke to headlines questioning his future at the club as he played down suggestions of a rift with the board. But Rodriguez’s 73rd-minute header earned three points for his hometown club and kept Watford hovering just above the relegation zone.

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Asked about his future, Burnley boss Sean Dyche said: “It’s been a tough week, on and off the pitch. “Someone wrote this week that it was the first time in seven-and-a-half years that I have questioned the board. I think that’s pretty decent, I’ll take that.

“It’s been an emotional week but I’m still here and I’m still working with the players.”

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