Sky Blue News: Treble is On, Still Playing, City’s Next Star, and More...

Manchester City have won the Premier League title, but there is still more in this season for the Champions of England. With the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League final on the horizon, City continue their victory lap with two final EPL matches. Sky Blue News has all the latest to keep you up to speed.

GUNDOGAN: FURTHER SUCCESS RELIANT ON MAINTAINING OUR CURRENT STANDARDS - George Kelsey - ManCity.com

Pep Guardiola’s men retained the league title for the third successive campaign following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening and marked the occasion with victory over Chelsea by the same margin the following day.

And with an FA Cup and UEFA Champions League final both on the horizon, the 2022/23 season is shaping up to be another remarkable chapter in the Club’s history.

For Gundogan, those prospects of further silverware are reliant on us continuing at our current level in the coming weeks.

Asked what is needed for City to add to our trophy cabinet once again, the captain said: “To believe in our own strengths.

“At one point in the season a few months ago, there was a feeling that it just clicked in the team and since then we have been on a run.

“We haven’t lost any games for so many weeks and that’s the standard that we have to set for ourselves.

“We do nothing different; we do the same things that we’ve done in the last few weeks and hopefully it can be a really special end to the season.

“I love the club and being part of this amazing team. Obviously, we want to finish the season with two more trophies.

The Treble Is on for Manchester City - Mark Temnycky - Man City Square

Manchester City have now won their third successive title, and their fifth title in six seasons under Guardiola. But the season is not over. Having won the 2022/23 EPL, Manchester City will now focus their attention on the FA Cup Final on June 3. They will then play in their second-ever Champions League final after overcoming RB Leipzig, Bayern München, and Real Madrid. Manchester City will face Internazionale on June 10.

Retaining the EPL title with three matches to spare has also given the Sky Blues an opportunity. While they will surely want to perform well in their final home match of the 2022/23 season, Guardiola will also have the FA Cup Final and Champions League Final on his mind. He will likely rotate his squad in the coming days and seek to solidify his final starting XI for the two cup finals.

Manchester City have done the hard work, and it is paying off. Having now won the EPL title, and with the upcoming FA Cup and Champions League finals on their minds, the treble is undoubtedly on. How will Manchester City finish this season?

Manchester City plot permanent sale and loan moves for two current goalkeepers - Freddie Pye - City Xtra

With the transfer window edging ever closer, City’s plans for the summer are in the process of being finalised, and that includes deciding the futures of players that have recently spent time away from the club on loan.

Among those names are two of Manchester City’s goalkeeping options in Zack Steffen – who spent the ongoing campaign at Middlesbrough, and James Trafford – who continued the next phase of his development at Bolton Wanderers.

After impressive campaigns for the pair, but remaining someway off providing serious competition to Ederson in the Manchester City first-team, and understood to be sitting below Stefan Ortega in the pecking order, their respective careers are at a crossroads.

For the USA international, it seems as though his time at the Etihad Stadium may be coming to an end, with a new report detailing Manchester City officials’ plans for the 28 year-old.

According to the information of Alan Nixon, Manchester City will look to find a permanent buyer for Zack Steffen in the summer, while Middlesbrough fear that they will lose the American stopper due to the Premier League champions’ willingness to sell.

Kyle Walker sends FA Cup final warning to Man Utd after Man City crowned Premier League champions - Michael Plant - Manchester World

The Blues were awarded a third consecutive Premier League title on Sunday as they were presented the trophy at the Etihad following the 1-0 win over Chelsea. City knew prior to the game that they would be crowned champions regardless of the result, with Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest the day before meaning first place was wrapped up.

But Julian Alvarez’s first-half goal increased City’s points tally to 88 with two league games remaining, and now attention turns to the upcoming FA Cup and Champions League finals. It could be easy for Pep Guardiola’s side to take their eye off the ball in the coming weeks, but Walker insisted that won’t happen ahead of the FA Cup final on 3 June.

“This group of lads are second to none, they’re winners and that’s how we get across the line more times than not,” the right-back told Sky Sports.

“But we’re not finished, we’ve got the FA Cup against our bitter rivals and the Champions League final on June 10. We will enjoy it today, we will have a few glasses of champagne but then we move onto June, which is the big one and hopefully we can create history with this great club.”

Manchester City weighing up Joao Cancelo, Joshua Kimmich swap with Bayern? - Ben Knapton - Sports Mole

After suddenly falling down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola, Cancelo was surprisingly shipped out on loan to Bayern for the remainder of the 2022-23 season in January.

The Portugal international initially struggled to earn regular minutes under Julian Nagelsmann, but he has since nailed down a regular starting role under Thomas Tuchel following the former’s sacking.

Cancelo has come up with one goal and six assists from 20 games in a Bayern jersey, and the Bundesliga champions possess the option to make his stay permanent for €70m (£60.8m).

However, director Hasan Salihamidzic admitted shortly after Cancelo’s arrival that such a fee would likely prove too steep for his side, and it has been reported that the 28-year-old will leave the Allianz Arena this summer.

Cancelo remains under contract with Man City until 2027, but according to The Mirror, he does not have a future at the Etihad under Guardiola due to a falling-out between the pair.

Following his switch to Bayern, it was alleged that Cancelo’s move came about because of a spat with Guardiola, although the defender affirmed that he made the move for playing reasons first and foremost.

However, the report states that Cancelo created “unrest” in the Etihad dressing room after complaining about his lack of post-World Cup minutes, and Guardiola wants rid of him this summer as a result.

Given that Bayern have not shown a willingness to trigger Cancelo’s permanent clause, Man City will apparently ask Tuchel’s side about the prospect of a swap deal involving Kimmich, who is admired by Guardiola.

The two men briefly worked together during Guardiola’s time at the Allianz Arena, and Kimmich has since established a reputation as one of the leading midfielders in world football, while also showcasing his qualities at right-back.

Pep Guardiola gesture in Man City celebrations points to their next star - Simon Bajkowski - Manchester Evening News

Lewis has been a revelation under Pep Guardiola this season, showing John Stones and others how to play the revolving full-back role that would steer them to 24 matches unbeaten in all competitions since February and playing a range of positions with tactical awareness beyond not only his years but many other players in the game.

At the same time, it is a completely new environment he has been thrust into after being brought up through the age groups in City’s academy. A grounded lad from Bury who enjoys the quiet life, it is little wonder that sharing a stage with superstars did not feel naturally.

As he stood there waiting, suddenly he was engulfed by a giant hug from Guardiola. The City boss had been content to kiss his medal from the sidelines but on seeing Lewis approach as he did he made it his business to go and have a word with the youngest player in his squad.

Later on, the manager would pose for pictures with Lewis and his family on the pitch before the player slipped off to join fellow academy players Nico O’Reilly and Shea Charles; the pair had come onto the pitch to pose with Ilkay Gundogan with the Under-18 and Under-23 Premier League titles. This felt more like Lewis’s natural habitat, among teammates he had spent more time with.

As good an indicator that is for City, there is little chance of Guardiola letting the player out of his sight any time in the future. If picking him so often this season ahead of more experienced players didn’t show how much the manager rates him, the way he looked out for him during the trophy celebrations expressed how much he cares.

And finally... When you are a champion and the Premier League’s record-holder for goals in a single season, you wear what you want.

Erling Haaland celebrating in his pyjamas?! Man City forward starts Premier League title party in questionable clothing alongside girlfriend Isabel Johansen - Ritabrata Banerjee - Goal

WHAT HAPPENED? Manchester City won their third consecutive Premier League title on Sunday after beating Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium. Right after lifting the trophy, the entire squad headed to a private party held at MNKY HSE in Manchester to continue their celebrations into the early hours of the morning, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Haaland stole the limelight at the party as he entered the venue, twinning with his partner Johansen in matching sky-blue pyjamas. His father Alfie Haaland was also present at the party, and he wore a sky-blue shirt.

The Norwegian later headed to a kitchen, where he shared snaps of cooking a steak on his Instagram stories.

There it is. Stay with us at Bitter and Blue as we get ready for the midweek trip to Brighton. Sky Blue News returns tomorrow with more headlines.