Man City and their fans cut loose with Premier League celebrations

The sight of Pep Guardiola puffing away on a cigar down Deansgate and it was easy to forget the nerve-shredding tension that every single Blues was put through just over 24 hours earlier. Manchester City have been in tight spots before in their history, and they were never actually knocked off top spot on the final day of an incredible Premier League season, but when even the Wembley hero of 1999 Paul Dickov could not see a way back for the side it gives an idea as to how grave the situation was.

Everyone of a City persuasion could look back on the stunning drama from Sunday though, because they were here celebrating. And none more so than Guardiola, the man who had almost done himself a hernia gesticulating on the touchline during the rough moments against Aston Villa now looking like he was enjoying a fortnight in the Maldives.

If you were a City player, this was most probably the pre-drinks before the second all-night bender. A team that works incredibly hard arguably parties harder, and having been denied a parade to celebrate the 2020/21 title there would be no stopping them this time.

Also read: City victory parade - as it happened

Kevin De Bruyne admitted he was drunk before the bus even made it to their final destination outside the Hilton, John Stones couldn't string a sentence together and Scott Carson literally made someone hold his beer so that he could do fist pumps across the stage with the microphone.

Anyone looking for tubthumping speeches would be disappointed - although De Bruyne indicated he will see out his contract and Oleksandr Zinchenko thanked the city for their support during a horrible time for him personally - but nobody cared. This was the stress-free celebration that was the reward