Trust, stability and breakfast chats: how Guardiola delivered another title

This is the story of a Manchester City title triumph that is about trust, faith, mutual respect, working in concert and, most of all, excellence. It is a tale of how Pep Guardiola oversaw what those close to the manager view as his team’s finest season, better even than the record-breaking 100-point first title triumph of 2017-18 or last season’s, when he had to reset the side after an insipid 1-1 draw at home to West Brom.

It could not have had Sunday’s happiest of endings without Guardiola’s close relationship with Khaldoon al-Mubarak, the chairman, with whom he speaks before and after every match. Nor without the daily breakfasts at the training campus in an area of the cafeteria across from the players where in attendance are Guardiola, his No 2 Juanma Lillo, the director of football Txiki Begiristain, the CEO Ferran Soriano and Manuel Estiarte, the manager’s closest adviser.

Constant contact with Mubarak et al makes Guardiola more content than he was when in charge of his boyhood club, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich. He was understandably weary as this season reached its climax but the 51-year-old recognises that City is the ideal workplace. Seeing an inner group each morning who are also friends allows for chit-chat and relaxation as well as ongoing conversation regarding the team.

Guardiola is a man of high intelligence and sensitivity. The Guardian has been told the latter characteristic, in particular, is a great strength because it allows a sixth sense regarding his players, his side, the opponent and the sport. But it can also be an achilles heel because Guardiola can spend valuable energy on immaterial issues, with exasperated friends sometimes advising him this is counter-productive.

If this season is rated