Man City blank Swansea, Wenger explains resignation

Man City blank Swansea, Wenger explains resignation

Now that he has quit, Arsenal's lame-duck manager Arsene Wenger is getting respect at the Emirates. (Reuters photo)
Now that he has quit, Arsenal's lame-duck manager Arsene Wenger is getting respect at the Emirates. (Reuters photo)

Champions Manchester City kept their Premier League title party rolling with a thumping 5-0 win over Swansea City on Sunday as Kevin De Bruyne scored one of the goals of the season.

Swansea stayed 17th, four points above the relegation zone after 34 matches, while City move on to 90 points, still hoping to beat league records for the most points, wins and goals in a season.

Raheem Sterling set up David Silva for the opening goal after 12 minutes, with the England winger netting the second four minutes later from close range after Fabian Delph cut the ball across.

De Bruyne made it three after the break with a thunderous effort, Bernardo Silva grabbed the fourth by following up after Lukas Fabianski tipped Gabriel Jesus's penalty on to the post, and Brazilian Jesus headed home the fifth late on.

City won the title a week ago after second-placed Manchester United slipped up, but Guardiola said his side would still chase down milestones in the final weeks of the season.

They need six more points to break the Premier League record of 95 set by Chelsea in 2005, while their goal glut against Swansea took them to 98, five short of the 103 scored by Chelsea in the 2009-10 season.

Guardiola's team are also one win short of Chelsea's record of 30 in a 38-game season, set last year.

Meanwhile, Arsenla beat West Ham 4-1 at the start of their manager's swansong tour.

Arsene Wenger said he wasn't tired of managing Arsenal but quit after finding fan protests calling for his departure "hurtful" and damaging to the club's image.

The 68-year-old Frenchman was initially reticent on Sunday to discuss the precise reason for his decision after 22 years in charge.

But facing the media for the first time since Friday's shock announcement, Wenger relented and gave an insight into what precipitated his departure when he had another season remaining on his contract.

"I was not tired," Wenger said after Arsenal's 4-1 victory over West Ham in the Premier League. "Personally I believe this club is respected all over the world, much more than in England ... our fans did not give the image of unity that I want in the club all over the world, and that was hurtful. I feel the club is respected. Overall the image we gave of our club is not what it is and not what I like."

"Wenger Out" banners have been displayed by some fans at games _ and at events unconnected to football _ as disillusionment grew at Arsenal's failure to win the Premier League since 2004.

"I do not want to make stupid headlines. I am not resentful with the fans," Wenger said. "I just feel that if my personality is in the way of what I think our club is, for me that is more important than me. That's what I say. It has nothing to do with the fans. Our fans were not happy. I can understand that.

"I travel a lot and this club is respected all over the world, and that's down to work. It's down to the way we play football, the way we behave and the way we treat people. So I want that to go on and be respected and give the image that I think is right. Even though there's a lot of money in the game ... more than the results is the way a club is perceived. And the example the club gives all over the world."

Wenger was hired by Arsenal in 1996 on the back of successes at Monaco and a stint in charge of Japanese club Grampus Eight. Only the second manager from outside Britain or Ireland to take charge of a top-flight English club, Wenger helped to revolutionize English football by introducing new sports science practices.

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