Upon returning to Manchester, City was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from the locals.
Calls for a place in the finals grew louder, as various local newspapers highlighted City's stunning, unbreakable run of victories. Meanwhile, Manchester United suffered a crushing defeat at Stamford Bridge in London.
After failing in their bid to retain the league title, their hopes of advancing in the Champions League now seemed to be fading.
The Fleet Street press grew increasingly skeptical about United's future, pointing out their struggles to withstand the relentless pressure of the league. The signing of Alan Shearer had been expected to strengthen the squad, yet the current situation left fans disillusioned. Now, their battle was reduced to securing second place.
With Manchester City and Arsenal ahead, United needed to give everything in the remaining matches. Failure to finish in the top two would leave them with no choice but to settle for the UEFA Cup next season.
