Abu Dhabi-funded Manchester City sealed their first league championship triumph in 44 years after an amazing comeback against QPR at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The league leaders looked to have blown their chance for glory as they trailed the relegation-threatened outfit with just added time to play in the match.
But goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero completed a historic 3-2 win on the final day of the 2011-12 English Premier League season as title rivals Manchester United beat Sunderland 1-0.
“Five minutes from the end I did not think we could win this game. We deserved to win this championship,” City manager Roberto Mancini told Sky Sports. “After 44 years I dedicate this to all our supporters.”
City and United both finished on 89 points with City’s better goal difference settling the most gripping title race since Arsenal edged out Liverpool on the final day of the 1989-90 campaign.
Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan bought the Manchester club in 2008 and his investment of nearly $1bn helped lead it to FA Cup victory in May, the first time the club has won the tournament since 1969.
However, the team’s success has come at a cost and it announced losses of £194.9m ($307.4m) for the 2010-11 financial year, which represents one of the biggest ever reported loss by an English Premier League club.
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