As Manchester City players and staff ecstatically celebrated their third consecutive Premier League championship on Saturday, Pep Guardiola made a telling gesture towards John Stones.
The team gathered to witness Saturday’s early-evening trip by Arsenal to Nottingham Forest because they knew that if the Gunners made one more mistake, they would win the title and face Chelsea on Sunday. Exactly as predicted, Taiwo Awoniyi’s goal was sufficient for the Spanish manager to win his fifth championship in as many years.
He is not the only person at the Etihad to boast that record, though. Stones, a defender, joined Guardiola from Everton for £50 million in August 2016. The defender has definitely surprised everyone, especially this season as City pushes for a potential Triple Crown.
Guardiola was shown on camera lovingly embracing his teammates at City Ground after the game. After hugging Stones, he raised five fingers to symbolise their shared success. One City supporter posted the video with the caption: “So, how many Premier League titles is that for you both?” The 28-year-old answered with the same motion.
In his seven years at City, Stones’ defensive performance has occasionally drawn criticism; yet, last month, the man now known as the “Barnsley Beckenbauer” asserted that the doubts never prevented him from pursuing his goals: “I’ve always been a fighter, ever since my early days when I was told I was too small,” he remarked. “There was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to contribute to Manchester City’s victory. It’s a club that can accomplish anything, and I want to continue supporting that goal.
In anticipation of the Chelsea game becoming a cause for celebration for the Citizens, supporters congregated outside the stadium and on the streets as well. Last night, an image of the players and the words “Premier League champions” were illuminated on the arena itself. 3-in-a-row.”
However, with two trophies still up for grabs, the season is far from over for both the manager and his star centre defender.
On June 3, the first all-Manchester FA Cup final will take place between City and rivals United, one week before City faces Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul.
Stones has yet to win Europe’s top award as a player, and despite two previous victories with Barcelona, Guardiola has conceded his City reputation will be tarnished if he doesn’t win it while in charge.
And after destroying Real Madrid in the semifinals, the English team will be a clear favourites.
Stones, an England international, participated in the final in which City lost 1-0 to Chelsea in Porto in 2020–21. The European Cup Winners’ Cup from 1969–1970 is the club’s last remaining European prize.