Seven records set by Manchester City and Liverpool in the 2018-19 season
Manchester City and Liverpool produced one of the tightest title races in living memory, but it was City who came out on top with 98 points to their rivals’ 97.
The battle conjures memories to the epic race between Barcelona and Real Madrid in 2010 – another won by Pep Guardiola – but the two clubs were so far ahead of the chasing pack that it’s hard to even fathom the size of the gap.
Perhaps the best way to appreciate the dominance of the pair is by looking at all the records they broke.
Most combined points for a top two
City and Liverpool beat the previous record (set last season) by a full 14 points with their combined tally of 195.
If both clubs had lost their last two games they’d have still taken the record. Also, both losing their final two fixtures would have been really funny.
Most points for a Premier League second-place finisher
The previous record was held by Manchester United, who finished on 89 points in the 2011-12 season.
Liverpool fans won’t be delighted to have taken that record away from their old enemies, though.
Most points for a second-place finisher in any ‘big five’ league
Liverpool’s victory over Wolves on the final day ensured they pipped Manuel Pellegrini’s 2009-10 Real Madrid squad by a single point.
Again, it’s no consolation, but both of these teams were remarkable this season.
Most goals from an English team (all competitions)
City’s pursuit of a domestic treble has seen them score 163 goals in all competitions, a tally which they can still add to in the FA Cup final.
Big victories over Football League clubs Burton Albion (9-0) and Rotherham United (7-0) helped, but let’s not forget they also put six past Chelsea, Southampton and Huddersfield in the league.
Pellegrini’s 2013-14 City squad scored 156, including 11 in two league meetings with Spurs, while Chelsea’s 2009-10 squad – which managed more than a century of goals in the league – finished with 140 overall.
Elsewhere, Barcelona’s 2018-19 vintage sit on 133, though Ajax have City pipped with 171, including a handful of Champions League qualifying games.
Back 2 Back Premier League Champions! 🏆🏆
We reigned and we retained! 💪
🔵 #mancity pic.twitter.com/stX3wPtV4P
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 12, 2019
Most times the lead has changed in a title race
Thirty-two times in total, breaking the previous record by four.
That includes the day Manchester United spent at the top after beating Leicester City on the opening Friday of the season and Chelsea’s brief flirtation with the lead during their unbeaten start under Maurizio Sarri.
Most wins
City have equalled their 2017-18 record of 32 league wins in a season.
The record is the same in Spain, where Real Madrid set the record in 2011-12 and Barcelona equalled it the following year, while the only ‘big five’ team to win more games in a single campaign is Antonio Conte’s Juventus (33 wins, three draws and two defeats in 2013-14).
Most consecutive 20-goal Premier League seasons
Across the last five Premier League seasons, 19 players have reached the 20-goal mark. Five of those 19 are Sergio Agüero.
His 21 goals see him equal Thierry Henry’s record of scoring 20 or more goals in five consecutive seasons, with Harry Kane’s late-season injury meaning the England man will have to start over after four in a row.
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