Manchester City are the champions of England for the fifth time in six years—securing their third consecutive Premier League crown after Arsenal’s title challenge collapsed in the business end of the campaign.
The Sky Blues trailed Arsenal by eight points as late as mid-March, and for a brief period, many thought they might not actually win the league this time. But the machine that Pep Guardiola has created never had any other ideas as they ruthlessly sliced through their opponents over the final weeks of the campaign and eventually clinched the Premier League title with three games to spare.
Having also lifted the FA Cup by beating cross-town rivals Manchester United, City then went on to clinch the nigh impossible treble after beating Inter in a closely contested final in Istanbul.
In a season of highs and only highs for Man City, there have been so many players with incredible individual campaigns. On that note, let us take a look at Man City’s top three performers from the 2022/23 campaign.
#Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland has taken the Premier League by storm, enjoying an incredible debut season with Manchester City. Regardless of initial doubts about his ability to adapt to the fast-paced demands of Premier League football, he has broken records left, right and centre and demonstrated his world-class prowess in front of the goal.
With 36 goals in 35 Premier League games, Haaland, 22, has broken the record for most goals in a Premier League campaign and won the Golden Boot award this term. With 52 goals in 53 appearances across all formats, the Norwegian, in fact, has scored the most ever goals in a season by a City player, overtaking Tommy Johnson’s 38 goals in the 1928-29 season.
Haaland’s impact in the Premier League has been incredible and he will be over the moon having won the treble in his first season in England. He won the 2023 Footballer of the Year Award last month, and rightly so!
#Kevin de Bruyne
Another year, another smashing season for Kevin de Bruyne! The creative Belgian has been a joy to watch for a number of years now and this campaign was another in which he made his mark.
De Bruyne, 31, won the Playmaker of the Year Award this season after again contributing the most assists in the Premier League—the third time in his career. He supplied 16 assists to help Man City win the Premier League title for the third season in a row. Of his 16 assists, eight were provided for Haaland—demonstrating the duo’s telepathic understanding on the pitch.
City managed to cope when De Bruyne lost his place in the starting XI post the Qatar World Cup, but when he does play, the playmaker’s influence is priceless.
Although he had to go off injured once again in a Champions League final, his side pulled through handing a massive gift and bringing relief and exultation in equal measure to a player who deserved to win the Champions League.
#Rodri
It is clear Rodri is a Pep Guardiola favourite. Guardiola has started Rodri 34 times in the Premier League and in 11 of City’s 13 Champions League ties, including all of the knockout rounds.
The Spaniard has been imperious in City’s midfield again, basking in the form of his life. He has been a vital component in City’s success so far this season, bringing discipline, drive and energy to the side. Rodri’s engine is matched by the excellent technical quality that helps him in contributing to the team’s defence and attack.
And he capped off a stunning season with a crisp curving finish in the final against Inter, which incidentally turned out to be the winner, thus perfectly signifying his value to this team.
