Manchester City might have lifted the Premier League trophy this afternoon but it was Huddersfield Town, having fought hard for a 0-0 draw against a sluggish City side, who will be celebrating most fervently this evening. David Wagner's team pressed bravely and out-battled their hosts for long periods, deservedly becoming the first visiting side to keep a clean sheet at the Etihad this season.
City fans poured onto the pitch at the final whistle in anticipation of the trophy presentation, and yet it was a jarring sight to behold. This was not the performance of champions, much to the dismay of Southampton and Swansea City fans. The Terriers probably need just one more point to secure their top flight status.
The home team came out to a Guard of Honour, small children in arms and waving to a jubilant crowd in the sunshine, in what was an ominously relaxed atmosphere for a Premier League contest. Huddersfield are fighting for their lives - and at the Etihad they showed it.
The carnival mood made for a quiet start, although the hosts fashioned the first opportunity of the game on five, David Silva receiving a slip pass from Gabriel Jesus inside the area but shooting straight at Jonas Lossl. The Spaniard could easily have passed to Jesus, and that selfishness betrayed the champions' carefree attitude.
City's sleepy start almost cost them on ten. Aaron Mooy's clever reverse pass from a freekick caught the hosts cold, handing Florent Hadergjonaj a superb chance one-one-one with Ederson. His shot - though parried by the Brazilian - seemed to shock both sets of players as the visitors began pressing aggressively, forcing back a City side that just hadn't shown up.
In the 20th minute the Terriers won the ball in midfield and suddenly space opened up for Alex Pritchard to have a pop from distance, his effort forcing a splendid save from Ederson. "Come on City" rang the rallying cry from the stands, but all it seemed to prompt was further anxiety as Sane, much to the delight of the travelling fans, put a two-yard pass out for a throw-in. Huddersfield were battling harder and tackling better, with Pritchard in particular forcing mistakes as the highest midfielder in Wagner's 3-5-1-1.
City began to crank up the pressure, Kevin de Bruyne's excellent low cross forcing Lossl to flap at the ball, but still chances were falling to Huddersfield. That high press saw possession fall to Mooy deep in the City half, and the Australian set up left-back Chris Lowe, who hammered a shot into the side netting when a more composed finish was required.
And then tiredness hit. Huddersfield started to drop deeper, to walk around the pitch as they waited for the half-time whistle. First a half-cleared corner eventually found its way to De Bruyne for a thumping shot straight at the keeper, before a deep cross from Kyle Walker was headed over by Raheem Sterling.
The second half began as lethargically as the first, until Lossl almost let in a howler from a City corner. He seemed to collide with Steve Mounie while attempting to gather the ball, which then trickled towards the goal line before it was hacked clear just in time.
City kept probing, sort of, but perhaps exhausted by the heat couldn't muster the energy needed to pull Huddersfield out of position. To say it was a dull second period would be a colossal understatement; there wasn't a single shot on goal from either side until the 78th minute, when Fernandinho tamely headed a corner over the crossbar.
But the pressure was growing as Huddersfield began to sit back, the quick counter-attacks and the bolshie tackles of the first period giving way to wild clearances. The best City could muster was a series of dangerous crosses that caused further uncertainty for the flappy Lossl, the final one forcing a corner from which substitute Bernardo Silva drove a half-volley wide.
In the 85th minute Benjamin Mendy, who came off the bench on the hour mark, almost enjoyed a fairytale return to the Etihad with a superb 30-yard shot that arrowed just over the bar. His second strike, from the same position two minutes later, was far more indicative of the afternoon, bobbling hopelessly wide.
There was time for one final rally, with both sides involved. Scott Malone had the chance to score the winner, going clean through on goal after a dodgy-looking tackle on Kyle Walker, but could only fire straight at Ederson. Then Laurent Depoitre made two tough challenges on the edge of the City area but the ball just wouldn't break for him.
At the other end, a phenomenal tackle from Terence Kongolo prevented Sane from going through before Nicolas Otamendi curled a shot wide in the final seconds. It was a breathless close to a bizarrely subdued afternoon.
