It was a day of celebration at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City effortlessly swept past Chelsea, clinching a historic third consecutive Premier League title.

The victory confirmed their elite status, which had been previously sealed courtesy of Nottingham Forest's triumph over Arsenal a day earlier.

Pep Guardiola, City's mastermind, had the luxury of resting key players, allowing the manager to make nine alterations to the squad that had recently trounced Real Madrid, cementing their spot in the Champions League final.

The main man, Erling Haaland, had a day off, but Julian Alvarez seized the opportunity in the spotlight, proving his worth with a stunning finish at the 12-minute mark.

Man City's fans revelled in this moment of glory, eagerly anticipating the ensuing trophy presentations and the ensuing celebrations.

Chelsea did manage to create some opportunities, with Raheem Sterling testing City's reserve keeper, Stefan Ortega, and Conor Gallagher coming close with a header that rattled the post.

Despite Chelsea's efforts, City managed to seal yet another victory, bringing them one step closer to a coveted Treble, with the FA Cup and Champions League finals on the horizon.

Man City's squad depth

The depth of City's squad was on full display as the likes of Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, John Stones, Jack Grealish, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Ederson were all afforded a breather.

Man City's bench against Chelsea:

£100m - Jack Grealish
£62.8m - Rodri
£62m - Rúben Dias
£55m - Kevin De Bruyne
£52m - Erling Haaland
£47.5m - John Stones
£43m - Bernardo Silva
£35m - Ederson
£20m - İlkay Gündoğan

£477.3m worth of talent. 🤑 pic.twitter.com/6FdeOGeCKv

— Squawka (@Squawka) May 21, 2023

It's an intimidating collection of talent that any rival team would dread to face, further emphasising Man City's domestic dominance and their potential for a maiden Champions League title.

Although he's been in Haaland's shadow for most of the season, goalscorer Alvarez reminded everyone of his potential.

An incredible season could be capped off by a historic Treble, an addition to his World Cup triumph with Argentina.

The Premier League trophy is back in Manchester City's cabinet, and the journey to Wembley and Istanbul beckons.

As for Chelsea, the season couldn't end soon enough.

The signs of a club ready for a reset are apparent, with Frank Lampard seemingly marking time before his inevitable departure.

A new era awaits under the incoming Mauricio Pochettino, who has the unenviable task of setting the Blues back on track.

There's no denying Chelsea's talent, but under the new co-ownership of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, the club has seemingly lost direction.

Pochettino brings hope, but he'll need the right backing and freedom to implement his intense attacking style. 

But as of now, Chelsea languishes in the 12th spot, an unfortunate ending to a dismal campaign.

As we gear up for the FA Cup and Champions League finals, the Premier League story comes to a fitting close – a victorious Manchester City and a Chelsea side needing a revival.

The beautiful game continues to excite, amaze, and, sometimes, shock us – but that's why we love it. Now, on to Wembley and Istanbul!