Manchester City celebrated their Premier League title triumph with a 1-0 win over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.

Julian Alvarez scored the goal early in the game and had another ruled out for a handball by Riyad Mahrez in the build-up. Although Conor Gallagher hit the post for Frank Lampard's struggling side, one goal was enough to take City seven points clear at the top.

With Pep Guardiola making nine changes to the team that dismantled Real Madrid on Wednesday evening, this was far from City's strongest side but they still played the slicker football. Chelsea are now certain to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Player ratings

Man City: Ortega (7), Walker (8), Akanji (7), Laporte (7), Gomez (7), Lewis (7), Phillips (7), Mahrez (7), Foden (8), Palmer (7), Alvarez (8).

Subs: Stones (6), Haaland (6), De Bruyne (6), Rodri (6)

Chelsea: Arrizabalaga (6), Azpilicueta (5), W Fofana (5), T Silva (6), Chalobah (6), Hall (6), Gallagher (7), Fernandez (6), Loftus-Cheek (6), Sterling (6), Havertz (6).

Subs: Mudryk (6), Madueke (6), Chukwuemeka (n/a), Koulibaly (n/a), Pulisic (n/a)

Player of the match: Phil Foden

How Man City celebrated with victory

With the stadium bathed in sunshine, there was a celebratory mood long before kick-off with the home supporters revelling in the confirmation of their third consecutive title win following Arsenal's defeat away to Nottingham Forest the previous evening.

The breakthrough goal came when Wesley Fofana gifted City possession with a poor pass and Cole Palmer's precision pass found Alvarez. The Argentine produced a composed finish to beat Kepa Arrizabalaga and really start the party inside the stadium.

Palmer had a chance of his own soon after and Phil Foden also went close, his looping effort drifting just wide after being put through by a fine Kalvin Phillips pass. The midfielder looked assured in what was his long-awaited first Premier League start for the club.

It must have been galling for Chelsea to find themselves being outplayed by City's back-up players but they did have their moments. Raheem Sterling had a shot saved by Stefan Ortega when clean through, while Gallagher struck the post with a header.

Phillips hit the post at the other end and Raheem Sterling had a shot cleared off the line by John Stones as the tempo slowed in the second half. There was no second goal even if Alvarez thought he had it, referee Michael Oliver needing a VAR check to rule it out.

City did not need another. In this game, as in the season as a whole, it turns out they were just too good. The supporters celebrated with a pitch invasion. The team with a trophy lift. As the banner brought onto the pitch read, one down and two to go. The treble is on.

Man City's win in stats

Manchester City have won each of their last six games against Chelsea in all competitions without conceding a single goal. The Citizens have become just the second team to beat Chelsea four times in a single season, after Manchester United in 2010-11.

There are 15 instances of a side winning 12 consecutive games in English top-flight history, with Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side accounting for five of those runs.

Chelsea have lost 15 Premier League games in 2022-23, their joint-highest tally in a 38-game season in the competition.

Manchester City have scored 100 goals at the Etihad this season, equalling the record (set by themselves in 2018-19) for most home goals scored in all competitions in a single season by an English top-flight club.

Since the start of last season, Chelsea have won none of their 15 Premier League games against sides starting the day above them in the table, losing each of their last four.

Julián Álvarez (17 goals) is Manchester City's second-highest goalscorer in all competitions this season behind only Erling Haaland (52). At the Etihad, the Argentine has been directly involved in 15 goals across his 12 starts (12 goals, 3 assists), finding the back of the net in all but two of those starts.

Cole Palmer has won all 16 Premier League games he's appeared in for Manchester City - the best 100%-win rate of any player in the competition's history.

What's next?

The final day of the Premier League season is on May 28 with every game kicking off at 4.30pm. Free match highlights will be published across Sky Sports' digital platforms shortly after full-time.

Man City head to Brighton on Wednesday - live on Sky Sports - before finishing their season at Brentford.

City then have the FA Cup final against Man Utd at Wembley on June 3 before the Champions League final against Inter Milan on June 10 in Istanbul.

Chelsea, meanwhile, head to Old Trafford on Thursday to face Man Utd - live on Sky Sports - before hosting Newcastle for their last outing of the season.

Teams

Manchester City Ortega, Walker (c), Akanji (Stones 57), Laporte (Rodri 78), Sergio Gomez (De Bruyne 78), Lewis, Phillips, Palmer, Mahrez (Haaland 74), Foden, Alvarez
Subs Not Used Ederson, Dias, Gundogan, Grealish, Silva
Booked
Goals Alvarez 12

Chelsea Kepa, W.Fofana, Silva, Chalobah, Azpilicueta (c), Loftus-Cheek (Chukwuemeka 81), Enzo, Gallagher (Mudryk 69), Hall (Koulibaly 81), Sterling (Madueke 69), Havertz (Pulisic 85)
Subs Not Used Mendy, Ziyech, D.Fofana, Felix
Booked Havertz, Enzo
Goals

Attendance 53,490

Referee Michael Oliver

VAR John Brooks