Guardiola recalls dominance of Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal on City's record-breaking evening

Pep Guardiola recalled the glorys days of Liverpool in the 1980s, Sir Alex Ferguson's dominant 90's Manchester United side, Chelsea under Jose Mourinho and Arsenal's invincibles as he saw his Manchester City side break records at the Etihad this evening.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyManchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

City ran out 3-1 winners against Brighton thanks to goals from Danilo, Bernardo Silva and Fernandinho after Leonardo Ulloa - with his first Premier League goal since December 2016 - had briefly drawn Albion level in the first half.

With Albion already safe, the night saw City steal the headlines as they capped a sublime season and made history.

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The champions secured the two points they required to set a Premier League record tally for a single season, eclipsing the 95 earned by Chelsea in 2004-05.

They also broke the league record of total goals scored in a season, netting the two they needed to overtake Chelsea's 2009-10 total of 103.

The hosts also bid farewell to Yaya Toure, who was playing his final home game for the club - also his first start of the season - ahead of leaving at the end of the season. The Ivorian boasted a glistening eight-year career with City, playing 315 games and winning seven trophies.

Guardiola looked back on the past dominant English sides as he celebrated a record-breaking evening.

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He said: "We had to maintain our level, we had all season and to break that record, we had to maintain our intensity. A total of 97 points and a lot of goals, a lot of wins, so that is a consequence of the season we have done, it's good.

"With one more game we are going to try and finish with 100 points and complete this almost perfect season in the Premier League.

"We spoke about having the history in front of us and trying to write a new page. I cannot not forgot the 1980s with Liverpool dominating football in Europe with Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, great, great people.

"Then Sir Alex Ferguson, we are so happy today that he is out of intensive care. With my favourite player Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and Peter Schmeichel - that amazing generation that dominated the 90s.

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"After that came Jose Mourinho with Chelsea. Petr Cech, with Terry, Lampard and Drogba. With Makelele and Robben.

"Then there was the invincibles with Arsene Wenger, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and the way they play. These kinds of teams deserve to be the best teams.

"In one season we have beaten all of them, can you imagine? In one single season we were better than all of them. I am not telling you a legendary team and we are better than them, we have to wait more years to do that, but in one season we were better than them.

"In history in the Premier League and English football. Maybe now we are not aware of what we have done, but these records will be broken. The team that breaks them will have to do many, many, many good things.

"It's a fantastic night. We will always remember the day we broke the records, it's a day for Yaya, it was the perfect night for him."