OSG Prem: ManCity Closer, Sunderland Even Closer Than That

((HT: BPL on NBCSN/BBC Sport))

It took an hour, but Manchester City finally got the best of Aston Villa and poured it on in the last 30 for a 4-0 win at home setting up the idea that they'll only need a point Sunday in the game against West Ham.

Dzeko scored the first two and then, Jovetic and Yaya Toure scored in the last five minutes for a clinical and professional win.

Here's your highlights...


And just so you know, Yaya Toure's goal now makes him just the second central midfielder to score 20 or more goals in a single EPL season.

At the other side of the table, Sunderland decided to put it all to rest as they scored a 2-0 win over West Brom. The Black Cats were at the bottom of the table at Christmas and have claimed safety with a game to spare. A lot of assistance came from Liverpool loanee Fabio Borini


In reality, Norwich is relegated even with a win on Sunday since the goal differential with the Baggies is substantial. West Brom plays Stoke in a game that should be low-scoring. Norwich hosts Arsenal.

OSG Prem: Fulham and Cardiff Relegated, Sunderland Clearing

((HT: NBCSN/BPL/BBC Sport))

Two down, one to go...

And there is a lot of prevalent thinking that the first two teams heading to the Championship couldn't happen to more deserving owners- Shad Khan and Vincent Tan. Five managers between the two teams, alienating a fan base by changing decades of traditional colors in kits and just not getting it overall...

Fulham put up an embarrassing performance with Stoke- losing 4-1. Manager Felix Magath actually apologized for the club's demotion.


Cardiff didn't do much better losing to Newcastle 3-0, but the larger issue happened in the 69th minute as Newcastle fans protested their owner and manager, Alan Pardew. The larger issue is that the fans feel their isn't the proper amount of reinvestment to bring in better players to improve their lot. The last title the team won was in 1969- the then-equivalent of the Europa League.

Thus this in the 69th minute
((HT: Newcastlevideo))


Elsewhere, Wet Ham secured their place with a 2-0 win over Tottenham. Kaboul's red early on put Spurs on their heels and they couldn't get untracked offensively. Southampton beat punchless Swansea 1-0. Aston Villa gives their fans some reason for optimism with a 3-1 over Hull. But the two interesting results came from the Manchester squads.

Sunderland almost secured their place in the Premier League with a win at Old Trafford for the first time since 1968. The problems that the Red Devils had before Ryan Giggs became caretaker manager are still there as the Black Cats won 1-0.

Giggs thinks his players were flat at a really bad time in the season...


And the night cap was Manchester City spotting Everton a 1-goal lead before coming back and winning at Goodison Park, 3-2. Edin Dzeko almost had a hat trick after Sergio Aguero left with an injury in the 22nd minute.

Ross Barkley's golazo, however, got things started for the good guys...

OSG Prem: Barkley Efforts Help Everton, City Shuts Out United

((HT: BPL on NBC/Everton Vines))

It was one of the two make-up days for the Premier League this week to swap out games in hand from all the Europa, Champions League, and FA Cup ties...

Everton got to make an early statement against Newcastle and it came from Ross Barkley as the Blues held a league at the half, 1-0 and went on to win 3-0...

Here's the Barkley coast-to-coaster


The Manchester Derby showed how City is City this season and United is United...

It took Edin Dzeko all of 42 seconds to get the Citizens on the board and he repeated the idea in the second half to, pretty much, destroy any ideas of making the Europa League qualifications for ManU this season...

Here's the first...


An abject disaster for the fans at Old Trafford as City won 3-0 with goal 3 coming from Yaya Toure...

Elsewhere, Lucas Podolski scored twice in a two minute span to (one would have thought) save Arsenal from certain embarrassment hosting Swansea at the Emirates. But a Flamini own goal in the 90th minute gave the Swans a needed point...

Two games Wednesday with Liverpool taking on Sunderland and West Ham taking on Hull City

OSG CL: CR7 Saves Real Madrid From Man City

((HT: FoxSports/UEFA))

There are a few meetings in the Champions League that leapt off the page- and the Real/Man City matchup was one of them for the reasons below...

Here's the highlights...


Other big name winners in the forst day of competition were PSG and Arsenal. More action is tomorrow...

OSG Prem: Man City Implodes, Then Explodes... Gets Title

It was set up all for Manchester City for their first title in 44 years...

All they had to do was beat relegation candidate Queens Park Rangers since it was assumed that Manchester United was going to beat Sunderland.

Which they did...

Man City had a 1-0 lead in the second half when QPR captain Joey Barton had a meltdown of biblical proportions...
((HT: SkySports))


Then, QPR scores twice for a 2-1 lead a man down with a lot of time left...
Man City then gets goals from Dzeko and Aguero in stoppage time for a game denying Manchester United their BPL crown...

Both sides finish with 89 points, but the Sky Blues win on goal differential...

In the relegation battle, Bolton Wanderers' loss ensures their demotion to the Championship. QPR stays.

Here's the moment where Aguero scored... gotta love the split screen...
First with Ian Darke and Macca...
((HT: ESPN/youtube))


Macca gets bonus points for honesty being an ex-player...

And now Martin Tyler...
((HT: SkySports again))


Here's the recap-recap...
((HT: FoxSports/Premier League))