Manchester City showed no signs of slowing down after securing the title, as the Premier League champions thrashed Swansea City. Manchester City showed no signs of slowing down after securing the title, as the Premier League champions thrashed Swansea City. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was pleased his side were still giving their all despite already having clinched the Premier League title.
Anyone who thought Manchester City would take it easy after being confirmed champions can think again. Swansea gave the newly crowned winners a guard of honour, and they returned the compliment by putting five past them in a one-sided match. It could have been a lot more, but Pep Guardiola's side stayed in third gear instead of powering on when they might have done earlier in the season. That'll be no consolation to the relegation-threatened Swans, though.
Positives
Five goals closer to the 100 mark means City are closing in on more Premier League records. Guardiola should be keeping his team motivated with both record points and goals tallies achievable in the final weeks of the campaign -- that could be the icing on the cake of a truly remarkable season. On top of that, there was a welcome return for long-injured Benjamin Mendy.
Negatives
Very little went wrong, though maybe more of City's younger players could have been involved with the game being largely meaningless. It would have been nice for the fans to see the likes of Phil Foden or Brahim Diaz start the game.
Manager rating out of 10
9 -- Perhaps a few of the less familiar faces from this season like Yaya Toure or Foden could have started, but that's nit picking after a 5-0 win.
Player ratings (1-10; 10=best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Ederson, 7 -- With very little to do throughout the 90 minutes, the goalkeeper spent much of his time watching his teammates pass the ball around the final third of the pitch. The one time he was tested, Ederson held firm and caught the shot comfortably.
DF Danilo, 8 -- After a season that can largely be described as hit and miss, the Brazilian defender put in one of his best showings at right-back. He was alert several times to step forward and intercept, he delivered several good crosses into the box and he was a big help to Bernardo Silva ahead of him.
DF Vincent Kompany, 9 -- The clock is ticking down to when the captain lifts his third Premier League trophy, but you wouldn't have guessed with this performance. He was just as hungry as he had been at the beginning of the season, and his leadership rubbed off on his team. This game mattered to him -- and every other one of the home players.
DF Aymeric Laporte, 8 -- The defender is looking more assured as the weeks go by. Perhaps bringing him in during the January window, normally a risky tactic in getting players to settle, will actually have helped him ahead of next season.
MF Fabian Delph, 8 -- He's now a certified left-back, isn't he? Having deputised there all season, the midfielder-cum-defender again showed tactical nous to be in the right place at the right time and his awareness was spot on.
Kevin De Bruyne was named man of the match, but he was just one of several Man City players who excelled vs. Swansea.
MF Ilkay Gundogan, 8 -- Any critics the midfielder has will be quiet after this display. With Fernandinho suspended, the German performed admirably as the central anchor for the team -- and glided around gracefully picking out teammates with great passing and vision in the process.
MF David Silva, 8 -- A stunning opening goal set the tone for the afternoon, and the Spaniard pulled the strings from all over the pitch throughout the 90 minutes. Swansea just couldn't get close to him.
MF Kevin De Bruyne, 9 -- De Bruyne took man of the match in the stadium, but in truth it could have been any number of players. His goal put the game beyond any doubt -- and what a goal it was -- while the number of times he won the ball back high up the field and set City back on the attack was a credit to his work rate. Phenomenal.
MF Bernardo Silva, 9 -- Alert to react to the missed penalty to get himself a goal, the creative midfielder is showing exactly what he'll offer City in the future. He wasn't afraid to go outside on his weaker foot and he kept the ball on a shoestring every time he had it. He'll be one to watch.
MF Raheem Sterling, 9 -- Anybody who still questions what the winger brings to City's team will never be convinced by whatever he does. Having shown excellent awareness to find Silva for the opener, he got himself into position to slot home for the second goal -- his movement, pace and delivery in the final third caused problems all afternoon.
FW Gabriel Jesus, 8 -- A missed penalty blotted his copybook, but the forward got himself a goal towards the end with a brilliant header. Quite how he missed from Foden's great cross a few minutes earlier, though, left him -- and Guardiola and the fans -- scratching their heads. Nevertheless, it was a great all-round display.
Substitutes
MF Yaya Toure, 7 -- It would have been nice to see a long-range smash for old time's sake when he replaced De Bruyne on 65 minutes, but it wasn't to be.
MF Phil Foden, NR -- Definitely one for the future, you wouldn't have been able to tell he was a junior member of the squad when he came on for Sterling late on.
DF Benjamin Mendy, NR -- Replacing Delph on 75 minutes, it was great to have him back in the picture -- even if he was a little rusty.
David Mooney is ESPN FC's Manchester City blogger. Twitter: @DavidMooney
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Source: espn.co.uk