Source: TheGuardian
Will anyone prevent Manchester City from retaining their title? | Paul Wilson
Only 11 teams have done it, and only Manchester United and Liverpool have done it more than a couple of times, but Pep Guardiola’s men look a good bet to join the club this seasonOnly 11 clubs have ever done it, and one of the first was called the Wednesday. The official retitling of Sheffield Wednesday only happened in 1929, just in time to see it achieved again in 1930. Aston Villa managed it during the Boer war, Huddersfield between the wars and Portsmouth and Wolves during the cold war. The first time it occurred was in 1890, when Vincent van Gogh was still alive, just, and the most recent occasion was in 2009, when a frustrated Rafa Benítez famously came up with a list of “facts” about Sir Alex Ferguson’s supposed influence over referees.The subject under discussion is the retention of the English title, which has happened on 25 occasions in the 130-year history of organised league football. Manchester United can claim a record seven of those feats, six coming under Ferguson’s stewardship, and with five, mainly in the 70s and 80s, Liverpool are the only other team with more than a couple of back-to-back wins. Related: Rock-solid John Stones shows quiet magnificence for Manchester City | Barney Ronay Related: La Liga could teach the Premier League about being competitive Continue reading......read full article
