The city of Manchester had a lot to shout about last season as Manchester United won a record 19th league championship and Manchester City lifted the FA Cup and earned a place in the Champions League for the first time.
By now, Alex Ferguson must know the way to the Premier League silverware blindfolded.
The one of 2010-11 was the 12th league title he won since the revamp of the Premiership in 1992-93.
Indeed, few were the occasions when Ferguson and his men lost in the straight for home to other clubs.
Last season, the Red Devils went up into raptures as finally they knocked out Liverpool from the top perch to lead the all-time list of English champions.
Critics may contend that this was surely not the best triumphant year in United’s history as they only won four away matches last season. They also lost the Champions League final yet, one must pat Ferguson on the back for the way United conducted their campaign with Wayne Rooney out of sorts and without a marquee signing.
The capture of ‘unknown’ Javier Hernandez worked miracles on some occasions as the Mexico forward scored goals that really mattered.
United went into the winter backed by an undefeated record until they were beaten by Wolves at Molineux 1-2 in February. The title was sealed at Blackburn with one match to spare.
Manchester City had one of their best seasons for many a year.
Their FA Cup win was the first since 1969. To make that success sweeter, the Citizens eliminated rivals United in the semi-final at Wembley.
The icing on the cake came when City booked their place in the Champions League, having been in the top echelons since September. Roberto Mancini’s side never looked back and remained in this group of elite teams till the very end.
City’s best department was their defence. The total of 33 goals conceded was the joint lowest in the division and goalkeeper Joe Hart went on to win the ‘Premier Golden Glove’ award.
Carlos Tevez had one or two skirmishes with Mancini but the Argentina ace was surely the best man upfront.
There were five candidates for the club’s best player of the season. In the end, most of the fans’ choice fell on Vincent Kompany, a bargain purchase from Hamburg.
Toure winner
In cup competitions, United went all the way to the final in the Champions League that was staged at Wembley but went down to the might of Barcelona.
In the Europa League, City lasted up to the second round of the KO phase, going out 2-1 on aggregate to Dynamo Kiev.
In the FA Cup, City ousted United and went on to beat Stoke 1-0 in the final with Yaya Toure the scorer.
In the League Cup, United lost to West Ham 0-4 (away) and the Citizens bowed out early to West Brom 1-2 (away) in the second round.
Premier League results
Manchester City
August − Away vs Tottenham 0-0.
Home vs Liverpool 3-0 (Barry, Tevez 2, 1 pen).
Away vs Sunderland 0-1.
September − Home vs Blackburn 1-1 (Vieira).
Away vs Wigan 2-0 (Tevez, Yaya Toure).
Home vs Chelsea 1-0 (Tevez).
October − Home vs Newcastle 2-1 (Tevez pen, A. Johnson).
Away vs Blackpool 3-2 (Tevez 2, Silva).
Home vs Arsenal 0-3.
Away vs Wolves 1-2 (Adebayor pen).
November − Away vs West Brom 2-1 (Balotelli 2).
Home vs Manchester United 0-0.
Home vs Birmingham 0-0.
Away vs Fulham 4-1 (Tevez 2, Zabaleta, Yaya Toure).
Away vs Stoke 1-1 (Richards).
December − Home vs Bolton 1-0 (Tevez).
Away vs West Ham 3-1 (Toure Y., Green og, A. Johnson).
Home vs Everton 1-2 (Jagielka og).
Away vs Newcastle 3-1 (Barry, Tevez 2).
Home vs Aston Villa 4-0 (Balotelli 3, 2 pens, Lescott).
January − Home vs Blackpool 1-0 (Johnson A.).
Away vs Arsenal 0-0.
Home vs Wolves 4-3 (Kolo Toure, Tevez 2, Yaya Toure).
Away vs Aston Villa 0-1.
February − Away vs Birmingham 2-2 (Tevez, Kolarov).
Home vs West Bromwich Albion 3-0 (Tevez 3, 2 pens).
Away vs Man. United 1-2 (Silva).
Home vs Fulham 1-1 (Balotelli).
March − Home vs Wigan 1-0 (Silva).
Away vs Chelsea 0-2.
April − Home vs Sunderland 5-0 (A. Johnson, Tevez pen, Silva, Vieira, Yaya Toure).
Away vs Liverpool 0-3.
Away vs Blackburn 1-0 (Dzeko).
May − Home vs West Ham 2-1 (De Jong, Zabaleta).
Away vs Everton 1-2 (Yaya Toure).
Home vs Tottenham 1-0 (Crouch og).
Home vs Stoke 3-0 (Tevez 2, Lescott).
Away vs Bolton 2-0 (Lescott, Dzeko).
Manchester United
August − Home vs Newcastle 3-0 (Berbatov, Fletcher, Giggs).
Away vs Fulham 2-2 (Scholes, Hangeland og).
Home vs West Ham 3-0 (Rooney pen, Nani, Berbatov).
September − Away vs Everton 3-3 (Fletcher, Vidic, Berbatov).
Home vs Liverpool 3-2 (Berbatov 3).
Away vs Bolton 2-2 (Nani, Owen).
October − Away vs Sunderland 0-0.
Home vs WBA 2-2 (Hernandez, Nani).
Away vs Stoke 2-1 (Hernandez 2).
Home vs Tottenham 2-0 (Vidic, Nani).
November − Home vs Wolves 2-1 (Park 2).
Away vs Manchester City 0-0.
Away vs Aston Villa 2-2 (Macheda, Vidic).
Home vs Wigan 2-0 (Evra, Hernandez).
Home vs Blackburn 7-1 (Berbatov 5, Park, Nani).
December − Home vs Arsenal 1-0 (Park).
Home vs Sunderland 2-0 (Berbatov 2).
Away vs Birmingham 1-1 (Berbatov ).
January − Away vs West Brom 2-1 (Rooney, Hernandez).
Home vs Stoke 2-1 (Hernandez, Nani).
Away vs Tottenham 0-0.
Home vs Birmingham 5-0 (Berbatov 3, Giggs, Nani).
Away vs Blackpool 3-2 (Berbatov 2, Hernandez).
February − Home vs Aston Villa 3-1 (Rooney 2, Vidic).
Away vs Wolves 1-2 (Nani).
Home vs Man. City 2-1 (Nani, Rooney).
Away vs Wigan 4-0 (Hernandez 2, Rooney, Fabio).
March − Away vs Chelsea 1-2 (Rooney).
Away vs Liverpool 1-3 (Hernandez).
Home vs Bolton 1-0 (Berbatov).
April − Away vs West Ham 4-2 (Rooney 3, 1 pen, Hernandez).
Home vs Fulham 2-0 (Berbatov, Valencia).
Away vs Newcastle 0-0.
Home vs Everton 1-0 (Hernandez).
May − Away vs Arsenal 0-1.
Home vs Chelsea 2-1 (Hernandez, Vidic).
Away vs Blackburn 1-1 (Rooney pen).
Home vs Blackpool 4-2 (Park, Anderson, Evatt og, Owen).