Manchester City further solidified its claim as one of English football’s greatest teams by clinching the Premier League title for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year. Under Pep Guardiola’s leadership, City has dominated the English top flight like no other team before them.

Adding to its impressive record, City has won six Premier League titles in the last seven years. The team has also secured its first-ever world and European titles, won two FA Cups, and lifted four League Cups.

City’s dominance could continue with another potential FA Cup victory next weekend, where the team is favored to defeat Manchester United in the Wembley showdown for the second consecutive season.

Dominance over United is especially sweet for generations of City fans who had to live in the shadow of their neighbors.

Last season, Guardiola’s men became only the second club to win the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup in the same season, matching United’s vintage group of 1998/99.

That was part of a run of seven Premier League titles in nine years for United under Alex Ferguson.

Liverpool’s dominance in the 1970s and 1980s included 10 league titles in 15 seasons and four European Cups.

Arsenal went through the entire 2003/04 league season without defeat as Arsene Wenger’s title-winning “Invincibles” staked their claim to be regarded as the best ever.

Yet the scale of City’s command over their rivals, despite the depth of resources in the world’s richest league, has surpassed even the feats achieved by United, Liverpool, and Arsenal in their glory years.

City is on a 35-match unbeaten run in all competitions from open play, setting a record in the Premier League era.

Their 3-1 victory over West Ham to seal the title on Sunday took the champions past 90 points for the fourth time in seven seasons, a mark United only managed twice in Ferguson’s entire Old Trafford reign in a 38-game season.

“I think to win the Premier League four times, no team has ever done it before, so to do it means we are up there,” said City midfielder Phil Foden in the debate over which side is England’s greatest.

In past seasons, City has been pushed hard by Liverpool, who interrupted their dynastic spell by winning the 2019/20 title, while Arsenal finished just two points behind the champions this season.

Relentless City

Liverpool racked up 97 points in 2018/19 and 92 points two years ago but still missed out on the title due to City’s relentlessness.

This time, a club-record 28 wins in a season and 89 points were not enough for Arsenal’s first title in 20 years.

“In the beginning of the season, we didn’t think about it,” said Guardiola, speaking last week about the possibility of winning four in a row.

“But then we were in February, March, and April, we were still there (in the title race). After that, it ignites something in all our heads.

“No team has done it. That shows how hard it is. Liverpool in the 1980s, Alex Ferguson’s United in the 1990s. Chelsea with (Roman) Abramovich and Jose (Mourinho), Arsenal with (Arsene) Wenger didn’t do it.”

City has been showered with praise for its performances on the pitch, but the plaudits come with caveats.

In a Premier League season in which Everton and Nottingham Forest were docked points for breaches of financial rules, a case against City over 115 charges has rumbled on for 15 months without resolution.

City strongly deny any wrongdoing but face accusations of failing to provide accurate financial information between 2009 and 2018 and not cooperating with the Premier League’s investigation.

The source of the club’s wealth since a takeover by Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour, which transformed City’s fortunes on and off the pitch, has also dampened the enthusiasm of many for their astonishing success.

“I don’t know,” said Guardiola on whether his side gets the credit it deserves for its historic feats. “We know how good we have been.”