When can Manchester City secure the Premier League title?
- Michael Oliver
- @MichaelOIiver
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Manchester City’s 18 point lead at the top of the Premier League table sees them have one hand on the league title as they close in on their third top-flight crown in seven seasons.
Pep Guardiola’s side have played a style of football never before seen on these shores and continue to break records with each passing week.
With just nine games to go, when will the Citizens clinch the title and how does it compare to previous campaigns? We take a look.
How many more points are needed?
18 points clear with just 27 on the table, Manchester City need just 10 points to secure a third Premier League title, which equates to just three wins and a draw from their final nine games – and that’s provided Liverpool and Manchester United win all of their remaining games, a very tough ask indeed.
The run-in
Manchester City’s sole loss in the Premier League was at the hands of Liverpool and despite comfortably seeing off the challenges of both Arsenal and Chelsea this week, Guardiola’s men do have a number of potentially tricky fixtures on the horizon, including an away trip to Tottenham and the visit of Manchester United to the Etihad.
When is the earliest City can win the league?
Mathematically speaking, City can win the Premier League in two games time providing they win both their next two games away at Stoke and away to Brighton.
As part of this scenario, Liverpool must fail to win both games, Manchester United, who have a game in hand, can only pick up a maximum of four points from their next three games, and Tottenham fail to win both of their next two games.
If all of the above happens, that would guarantee Manchester City have at least a 22-point lead with just seven games (or 21 points) remaining.
Can the title be decided in the Manchester Derby?
Yes.
Manchester City need just 10 points (three wins and a draw) to guarantee a third Premier League title and coincidentally, Manchester United are City’s fourth opponent in the run-in.
For City to win the title against United, they need the gap between themselves and second to be between 16-18 points when the game is played, as a draw would mean City would be sitting at least 16 points clear with just 15 remaining, securing the title.
How does this compare to City's other title=winning campaigns?
City are poised to win the 2017/18 title, barring a major collapse, but how does it compare to their other two Premier League triumphs?
We all remember the magical finale to the 2011/12 season when Sergio Aguero’s late winner against QPR saw City pip rivals Manchester United to the title with virtually the last kick of the game, and unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that level of drama will be repeated.
City won the title again in 2013/14 when Liverpool let a first Premier League crown slip through their fingers, officially clinching the title on the final day again.
What's the record for earliest PL title win?
City are on course to rewrite another piece of history this season.
The earliest a Premier League title has been won was in the 2000/01 season when Manchester United clinched the title with five games to play.
With nine games left and as explained earlier, City can clinch the title if results go their way within the next two games, with seven games still to play after.
Other records that could be broken
Last season, Chelsea set a new PL record for most wins in a PL season with 30.
After 29 games, City have 25 wins and require just six more from their final nine games to set a new record.
Having netted 83 goals in 29 games so far, City have the goalscoring record in their sights also.
Chelsea’s 103 goals in 2009/10 is the most ever scored in a PL season, but City, averaging 2.86 goals per game, are on course to eclipse that with 109 goals if they continue at their current rate of scoring.
No team has ever amassed 100 Premier League points in a single season but City could reach 101 if they win all their remaining 11 PL games, exceeding the record Chelsea set in 2004/05 with 95 points.