Manchester City Continue to Ruffle the Media...and What Fun it is too

We do like tears at Manchester City and the salty flavoured variety of biased journalists are the preferred choice.

The blues have once again been upsetting the journalistic world after their last-minute winner at Arsenal sent them eleven points clear at the top of the Premier League, with chasers Chelsea and Liverpool squaring off the following night.

It all began with the TV commentary team, who were almost beside themselves with joy when Saka gave the Gunners a first half lead. Their clear elation turned to despair when City were awarded a penalty in the 57^th minute. And, when Rodri popped up to score in the final minute, it was like someone had just died, right there in the studio.

Then, it was over to the media to dissect and give their opinions. And while some have been strangely quiet, others launched thinly veiled attacks on the blues. Commenting on Chelsea’s draw with Liverpool, ESPN’s Mark Ogden said it was ‘shades of the epic Chelsea-Liverpool matches of the 2000’s. But they all mattered in races for silverware. Man City’s dominance means these games now just entertain us.’

Meanwhile, Johnny Nicholson from the Irish Examiner was a tad more brutal in his assessment. Following Sunday’s Chelsea-Liverpool battle, Nicholson went as far as trying to pretend City don’t exist. If we pretend Man City don’t exist, this was a perfect title tussle is the headline. He then accused Bernardo Silva of being a cheat and diving, before claiming winning is boring. He sounds so much fun at parties!

Nicholson says “When it is a cakewalk for any team, it makes it all feel a bit pointless. When it is the same team that has won in three out of the last four seasons, even more so.” He also suggested City should be ignored and everything would be more enjoyable.

It’s odd how these two journos, particularly the latter, have such short memories. When the same team has won it, three out of four seasons? I wonder what he would have said about Liverpool’s success in the 70’s and 80’s? Over fourteen seasons between 1975 and 1990, the Mersey reds won the First Division ten times, including a run of three successive wins between 82 and 84.

And what would he have to say about the Premier League’s most successful team? From the first five seasons of the Premier League, Manchester United won it four times, then another three between 99 and 01, and another treble of titles between 07 and 09. Was that not boring, or was it perfectly acceptable?

And what was said in 2020, when Liverpool were nineteen points clear by the end of January? Nothing but praise, I believe.

The issue that these people want to land firmly at City’s feet is not the fault of the blues. Chelsea and Liverpool are behind because they haven’t performed. City have taken their chances and won, while the others have been dropping points.

It’s hardly Pep Guardiola’s problem that Chelsea have dropped nine points and Liverpool seven since the start of December, while the blues have found a way to win. City produced a last-minute winner, while these two went for it in the first half, then dropped the tempo in the second. It’s almost like they want to give the title to City.

We’re only just into 2022 and nothing is certain at this stage. Nothing that is, apart from the media bias that wants to try and bring the blues down from their lofty heights. But while the tears of the journo’s keep flowing, the blues will be able to stay afloat for much longer.