Brooks Koepka vowed there would be no repeat of his Masters mistakes as he looked to emulate Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus by claiming a third US PGA Championship title.

Koepka held a one-shot lead over Corey Conners and Viktor Hovland heading into the final round at Oak Hill, six weeks after enjoying double that advantage following 54 holes of the year’s first major.

The four-time major winner carded a closing 75 at Augusta National to finish second to Jon Rahm, but looks primed to claim his first major since the 2019 US PGA at Bethpage.

Asked what were the main lessons he had learned from Augusta, the former world number one said: “To just never think the way I thought going into the final round. I think that was a big thing for me.

“I won’t do it again the rest of my career. I promise I won’t show up like that on Sunday.

“I was just told that I think only Tiger and Jack have won three (US PGA titles), so that would be pretty special to be in a list or category with them.”

Four major champions were within five shots of Koepka’s lead, with fellow LIV player Bryson DeChambeau three behind on three under and Justin Rose and Scottie Scheffler both two under.

Rory McIlroy, who is a member of Oak Hill, was another stroke back on one under.

Quote of the day

“I love when the fans are on you, cheering for you, or you know, giving you crap if you screw up” – Koepka had no problem with the raucous crowds in upstate New York.

Shot of the day

Arguably the luckiest shot of the day at least, Scottie Scheffler saw his second shot on the seventh hole skip through Allen’s Creek and on to dry land.

Round of the day

Brooks Koepka carded a second consecutive 66 to take a one-shot lead into the final round.

Statistic of the day

Good news for everyone within four shots of Koepka’s lead, although recent evidence suggests all is not lost for the likes of Rory McIlroy either.

Easiest hole

The short par-four 14th again played as the easiest hole, yielding 30 birdies and just three bogeys for an average of 3.645.

Toughest hole

There was not a single birdie recorded on the 485-yard ninth hole, with 33 players making bogey and four making a double bogey for a scoring average of 4.539.

Weather forecast

Mostly sunny skies and breezy conditions return for the final round with highs warming into the low 70s. A west to northwest wind of 10-15mph, gusting to 20mph, will help with the drying and make it feel cooler at times as well.

Key tee times (all BST)

1850 Justin Suh, Tommy Fleetwood
1900 Rory McIlroy, Michael Block
1910 Justin Rose, Scottie Scheffler
1920 Corey Conners, Bryson DeChambeau
1930 Brooks Koepka, Viktor Hovland

Katie Taylor is looking towards a rematch with Chantelle Cameron in autumn after losing her first ever fight on Saturday night in Dublin.

Cameron, who is yet to lose a fight, defended her undisputed light-welterweight title with the 10-round fight scored a 95-95 draw, and 96-94, 96-94 in favour of Cameron.

A disappointed Katie Taylor told DAZN after the bout that she has already set her sights on the rematch.

“I’m not sure [if it was a close fight] I’d have to look back it at,” she said.

“Congratulations to Chantelle and thank you for this opportunity. I’m looking forward to the rematch.

“I wasn’t surprised how fast she was. I expected everything that came my way but I just came up short tonight. I look forward to next time facing her.

“I knew it was a close fight, every round was close but this is boxing.”

Cameron told DAZN after the fight that she wants more belts.

She said: “I was petrified. I’ve seen results go the other way in the past. It was a close fight and Katie is a great boxer, pound-for-pound the best.

“My strength is putting the pressure on. I don’t mind getting hit so my corner let me off the leash.

“I beat McCaskill at 147 last fight and now I’ve just beat another undisputed champion. I’m sick of keeping my belts, I want to go for more belts.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn said on DAZN that there will be a second fight.

“I want to congratulate Katie and Chantelle for showing us what boxing is all about,” he said.

“It was a fight that could have gone either way but I think the result was right.

“There is a rematch clause and we want to do it again in the autumn. There’s only one thing on Katie’s mind and that is a rematch.”

Brooks Koepka admits it would be “pretty special” to emulate Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus by claiming a third US PGA Championship title.

Koepka will take a one-shot lead over Corey Conners and Viktor Hovland into the final round at Oak Hill, six weeks after enjoying double that advantage following 54 holes of the Masters.

The four-time major winner carded a closing 75 at Augusta National to finish second to Jon Rahm, but looks primed to claim his first major since the 2019 US PGA at Bethpage.

“It would mean a lot,” Koepka said after a second consecutive 66. “I think a major championship would mean a lot to anybody.

“I was just told that I think only Tiger and Jack have won three, so that would be pretty special to be in a list or category with them. Just got to go out and go play good tomorrow.”

Koepka believes he “choked” in the Masters but has pledged it will be a different story at Oak Hill.

Asked what were the main lessons he had learned from Augusta, the former world number one added: “To just never think the way I thought going into the final round. I think that was a big thing for me.

“I won’t do it again the rest of my career. I promise I won’t show up like that tomorrow (Sunday).”

Conners had led the way on seven under par after covering his first 15 holes in two under par, only to find sand off the tee on the 16th and then embed his second shot into the face of the bunker.

“I didn’t make great contact there,” Conners admitted. “The ball was below my feet and didn’t quite adjust for that. Wish I could have that one back.

“It was an unfortunate situation and a poor shot.

“If I could have dropped it on the side closest to the fairway I might have had a better stance there, but it was pretty clear once we took a look that it was going to be closer to the hole and had to drop no closer to the hole.

“I put myself in a difficult spot there, but you’ve just got to follow the rules.”

Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy face an uphill battle to end their lengthy major droughts after a rain-soaked third round of the 105th US PGA Championship.

Ten years on from winning the US Open at Merion, Rose carded a third round of 69 at Oak Hill to finish two under par, four shots behind leader Brooks Koepka.

McIlroy, who won the last of his major titles in the 2014 US PGA at next year’s venue Valhalla, also shot 69 to trail fellow four-time major winner Koepka by five after the American fired a second consecutive 66.

Canada’s Corey Conners had led on seven under par after recording two birdies and 13 pars in his first 15 holes, only to find sand off the tee on the 16th and then drill his second shot into the face of the bunker.

That led to a double bogey six and with Viktor Hovland dropping a shot on the 18th to also finish five under, Koepka enjoyed the outright 54-hole lead for the second consecutive major.

Koepka felt he “choked” away the Masters last month having been four ahead of eventual winner Jon Rahm when play was suspended due to bad weather in the third round.

However, that lead was immediately halved when play resumed, Koepka returning to Augusta National to miss a par putt on the seventh as playing partner Rahm birdied the same hole.

Koepka still led by two shots after three rounds but shot a closing 75 to Rahm’s 69.

Bryson DeChambeau, who played alongside Koepka at Oak Hill on Saturday and was roundly booed on the first tee, returned a 70 to lie three shots off the lead.

McIlroy followed two early birdies with three bogeys in the space of four holes from the sixth, but rallied to cover the back nine in 33 to keep Koepka in his sights.

The 34-year-old has struggled with his long game all week and revealed on Thursday he was also battling an unspecified illness.

“I’d obviously like to be a couple of shots closer to the lead,” the world number three said.

“But I think with how I’ve felt this week, if you had have told me on Thursday night that I’d be going into Sunday in the top five and with a realistic chance to win this golf tournament, I would have taken it.”

Club professional Michael Block continued to enjoy a brilliant week as the 46-year-old head professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in California carded his third consecutive 70 to remain level par.

Tommy Fleetwood is a shot behind following a third round of 68 and will hope to call on the memories of his record-equalling final round of 63 in the 2018 US Open as he bids to claim a maiden major title.

“It would be the low round of the day if somebody did do it,” Fleetwood said with a smile when asked by the PA news agency if a 63 was possible at Oak Hill.

“Who knows? Didn’t think it was on at Shinnecock but it happened there and it’s obviously something that happens very rarely.

“But I think you just have to go out and hit your shots and play well and see what score you can get. I played really, really well today in tough conditions and actually gave myself a bunch of chances on the front nine.

“You saw guys going low on the back nine yesterday. Any golf course there’s chances out there if things are going your way and you hole some putts.

“We’ll see what Sunday brings, but always nice to have good memories of being able to go low on a major Sunday in your memory bank and who knows? Start off hot and we’ll see.”

World number two Scottie Scheffler will begin the final round four shots off the lead after struggling to a 73 on Saturday.

Chantelle Cameron defeated Katie Taylor by majority decision to successfully defend her undisputed light-welterweight crown.

A closely fought contest between the two unbeaten fighters was taken to the last bell where Cameron’s hand was raised as Taylor suffered her first career defeat in professional boxing.

A slow start in the first ended with a Cameron onslaught and it spilled into the second before Taylor landed a clean straight right punch through the guard of Cameron and after a close third round, Taylor started to look the more tired of the pair once the bell signalled the end of the fourth.

Cameron’s beat down with the body shots started to take its toll on Taylor, and the English fighter seemed undeterred from Taylor’s shots.

An uppercut from Cameron put her in the driving seat of the eighth before Taylor came back with a rally of shots towards the end of the round as both fighters started to dig deep for victory.

A blockbuster 10th round commenced as the pair traded large hooks, Cameron connecting with yet another uppercut before a desperate Taylor responded with more combinations but after the bell rung, it was the Northampton born fighter who had her hand raised, with the judges scoring 95-95 draw, and 96-94, 96-94 in favour of Cameron.

Undisputed light-welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron told DAZN: “I was petrified. I’ve seen results go the other way in the past. It was a close fight and Katie is a great boxer, pound-for-pound the best.

“My strength is putting the pressure on. I don’t mind getting hit so my corner let me off the leash.

“She’s so fast and tough. She’s one of the greatest boxers there is.

“I beat McCaskill at 147 last fight and now I’ve just beat another undisputed champion. I’m sick of keeping my belts, I want to go for more belts.

“Unbelievable atmosphere. It’s a shame they weren’t backing me but Katie has a great following. I put my belts up against the pound-for-pound best so I’ve clearly got some guts.”

Following the result, Taylor already had her eyes set on a rematch.

She told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I was expecting a gruelling fight and that’s what it was. I obviously came up short. I always love a challenge and I’m looking forward to the rematch.

“This isn’t how I wanted the homecoming to go but I’m grateful that this event could sell out in a couple of minutes.”

Elena Rybakina was crowned WTA Italian Open champion after Anhelina Kalininia retired in the second set of the final through injury in Rome.

Kalininia started in tremendous fashion as she broke Rybakina following several deuce rallies.

But the Kazakh started to show her quality and hit back with a break of her own in the sixth game before breaking again in the 10th game to claim the opening set.

Rybakina started the second set with a convincing hold as Kalininia took a seat to speak to her doctor and after a very swift consultation, the players shook hands to give the 2022 Wimbledon champion her biggest title on clay which will also see her climb to fourth in the WTA rankings on Monday.

It was the second time in the tournament that Rybakina had won after her opponent retired after Iga Swiatek was forced to retire in the quarter-finals.

After victory, Rybakina said courtside: “I want to wish Kalininia a speedy recovery because she is a really good friend of mine and I am really happy for all of her results. She did a good job and hopefully can recover for the French Open.

“A big thanks to the crowd and everyone who stayed and watched till the end. It was not easy for us but not easy for you with all the rain today so thank you so much for the support.”

Kalininia said: “I’m really sorry I couldn’t play. I was trying to do my best but of course this is sport and I want to congratulate Elena for not only this title but everything you have done this year starting from Wimbledon, it’s really inspiring and hopefully I can get to your level one day. Best of luck for the season, stay healthy and reach your goals.”

Holger Rune will fight for the chance to win his second ATP Masters 1000 title when he meets Daniil Medvedev for the Italian Open title after he came from behind to beat Casper Ruud.

Making his debut in Rome, the Dane was a set down and also came from a break down to get the better of fourth seed Ruud 6-7(2) 6-4 6-2 after previously knocking out world number one Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.

Medvedev sunk Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5 7-5 to reach his maiden ATP Masters 1000 clay-court championship match despite the game being twice affected by rain, with the match starting around 4:30pm local time and finishing more than five hours later.

The pair will clash in the final on Sunday afternoon.

Eddie Howe has admitted he will never be able to bask in glory no matter what he achieves at Newcastle.

The 45-year-old has guided the club to the brink of Champions League qualification in his first full season in charge.

A win over Premier League strugglers Leicester at St James’ Park on Monday will be enough to seal a top-four place.

But even ending a 20-year wait to return to the big stage, at the end of a campaign which also included a first major cup final appearance since 1999, would not satisfy the Magpies’ head coach.

Asked if that was just the way he is, Howe said: “Unfortunately, yes, which means you’re on sort of a conveyor belt that you can’t get off.

“Everyone will say: ‘That’s a great achievement’. All I can think of is that next challenge coming and then being prepared for that next challenge because you can’t sit back and say: ‘Right, I’m going to take a month off and go and relax on a beach’.

“It’s the opposite, it’s: ‘Okay, how can we best now succeed in that next phase?’ So it is very much you’re always on a cycle of trying to improve.”

Newcastle’s rise since Amanda Staveley’s consortium completed its takeover in October 2021 has been meteoric and, while the Saudi-backed owners have ploughed more than £250million into the playing squad, the impact made by Howe and his staff has been remarkable.

A unity of purpose has been fostered through the club, and the former Bournemouth boss revealed Staveley and husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi remain very much at the centre of that.

Howe said: “I invited Amanda and Mehrdad up to speak to the squad, I think it was 10 days ago roughly, just to have that contact with them, with the owners because it’s so important as a club we’re one from top to bottom.

“They came in, they spoke to the players, they were absolutely brilliant. It was a nice moment, actually, just for everyone in the room to consolidate their thoughts on each other and then try to focus on the last few games that we had, and it made a positive impact on us.”

Should Monday pan out as Newcastle hope, the focus will switch to summer recruitment in preparation for a challenge which will have arrived unexpectedly quickly, although Howe is realistic about what Staveley and her partners will be able to do.

He said: “Regardless of what happens, we’re not going to have a bottomless pit. We will be under tight constraints. Whatever we do in the transfer market, we’re going to have to be very smart.

“In the three transfer windows I’ve had, we’ve been excellent and we have to continue that.”

Pep Guardiola accepts his Manchester City side must not only win the Champions League, but do it more than once to be regarded among the greats.

The City manager has no doubts about the brilliance of his team but, despite their near dominance of the Premier League in recent seasons, he feels they need European success to truly make their mark on history.

City are now strong favourites to win the Champions League for the first time this season after powering into next month’s final against Inter Milan with a crushing win over holders Real Madrid in midweek.

Guardiola said: “The team is really good but I agree with the media or when people say you have to lift Europe, and you have to lift it again, to be considered in the same type as ‘other’ teams.

“Those teams win in Europe, not just once, but many times. We have not.”

City have been the pre-eminent force in domestic football since Guardiola took charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016 but they have endured a catalogue of near-misses in the Champions League.

The closest they have come to success is when they were beaten in the 2021 final by Chelsea.

Guardiola said: “The joy (of winning) is so nice. It is amazing being here. Nothing is going to change for us if we lift it, but if we want to be considered one of the best teams, we have to win the Champions League.

“My opinion is not going to change but to be in the books – the real books – we have to be there.”

Guardiola has made a huge impression on English football as a whole and raised standards in terms of results and style of play.

Yet despite steering his side towards a glorious treble this term, he remains modest about the scale of his own contribution.

“English football belongs to England,” he said. “Every manager has his own ideas but I didn’t change anything, honestly.”

West Ham boss David Moyes has admitted he has been close to the sack several times this season.

The Scot has faced a number of so-called ‘must-win’ games throughout a turbulent Premier League campaign, but his side have delivered on each occasion.

The picture looks a lot brighter now, however, with West Ham safe from relegation and reaching an historic European final, their first in 47 years, in the Europa Conference League.

Should they beat Fiorentina in Prague on June 7 and lift a first trophy since the FA Cup in 1980, Moyes will have turned a disappointing campaign into one of the most successful in the club’s 128-year history.

“Seasons are long, and you never know how they are going to work out, but this could turn out to be one of West Ham’s best-ever seasons,” said Moyes.

“There’s still some work to be done in the Premier League, but finishing seventh and getting to the Europa League semi-finals last year was huge, and in some ways it’s probably taken its toll on us this season.

“But reaching a European final will make up for a lot of the other things that have happened this year.

“Sometimes, when things aren’t quite going right, you need to show a bit of resilience, and I’ve got to say there have been times this season when it was tough and there were bits that weren’t so enjoyable.

“On several occasions I could easily have lost my job, but you need good people who understand how you work and that makes life a lot easier and the board have been very supportive. In some ways, I hope this repays their faith in what they chose to do.

“I didn’t doubt myself, but I was more disappointed that I couldn’t quite get our rhythm back, but over my career I’ve managed to find ways of winning when my teams haven’t been doing so well.

“I’ve been brought back here twice before to help the club avoid relegation and on three occasions when we’ve been in this position we’ve managed to do that. I think I’m still able to find a way of winning games when it’s required.”

West Ham face Leeds on Sunday in what looks likely to be captain Declan Rice’s final home match before a summer move away.

“If he’s selected,” added Moyes. “In truth I don’t want to get into the Declan question because we’re asked about it every week. He’s still a hugely important player to us and we really hope he will be a West Ham player.

“He’s a leader and he takes a lot on, but he’s still a young boy – and he’s a young player who’s already been in two European semi-finals and now he’s going to a final as captain of the team.”

Frank Lampard has defended Chelsea’s decision not to allow Carney Chukwuemeka to join the England Under-20 squad for the World Cup in Argentina.

The 19-year-old is one of two players from the club to have been withheld from manager Ian Foster’s selection, with midfielder Lewis Hall also told he must stay for the remainder of the season.

Hall started as Chelsea drew with Nottingham Forest last weekend and Lampard has indicated he will play a part in his side’s remaining three matches, but Chukwuemeka has started only twice since December and has not been in the matchday squad for any of the last eight games.

Lampard said that owing to injuries the club deemed it necessary to keep the former Aston Villa player, who arrived at Stamford Bridge in a £20million deal last summer, available for the remainder of the season.

“He’s a Chelsea player and we’ve got injuries in that area,” said Lampard. “The situation with Carney is that he’s come into a club, it was a big move for him, and this season he hasn’t managed to get so many minutes. He’s settling in at a new club.

“Hopefully there’s opportunity in these three games for him and also he’s our player, and whilst we have lost players we need him to stay.

“There’s a possibility he can join up at the end of the season if the team gets through to the next stages. That might be the best of the both worlds in an ideal way.

“But he’s our player and we had to make the decision. Carney was keen to go, but at the same time what happened meant he had to stay.”

Chelsea take on the newly-crowned Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday in what will be Pep Guardiola’s side’s first match since retaining the crown they have won in each of the previous two seasons. 

Their third straight title triumph was confirmed by Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

It is Guardiola’s fifth title since arriving in England in 2016 and his personal record could be further gilded in June if City add the FA Cup and Champions League to land the treble.

Lampard, who has lost six of his eight games in interim charge of Chelsea since being appointed in early April, was asked about the frustrations of struggling to replicate his success as a player since taking up management. 

“As a manager everyone’s situations are different,” said Lampard. “What club you work at, what is a version of success at the club that you work at.

“Knowing Pep a little bit and having watched him work for a couple of days when I’d finished playing, it’s clear that he’s got an incredible football brain and an amazing work ethic. I think if I can try and follow that in my own way, that’s the best I can do, that’s the way to do it.

“It’s not that hard, you just understand that going to Everton, trying to keep them in the league, it’s a compromise. You have to come and train and play different ways to get a result, which we did.

“When I had my first year at Chelsea and I came in and we had a young squad that were really willing to learn, to try and do the things wanted them to do, I think we got a really exciting team. 

“Everyone’s journey in management is different, because what you’re working with dictates sometimes in terms of how you might have to compromise. When you’re a player you just focus on yourself. As a manager you have to work around many more different variables.”

Barcelona's LaLiga title celebrations fell flat at Camp Nou as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Xavi's side claimed the top-flight crown with a 4-2 win over Espanyol last time out, with the team celebrating on the pitch afterwards – much to the chagrin of their rivals' fans.

Yet the Blaugrana were unable to mark their first league title since 2019 with a victory on their return home, with Mikel Merino's early strike and Alexander Sorloth's breakaway finish claiming the points for La Real.

Robert Lewandowski's late header sparked hope for Barca, but their visitors clung on for a first away win at Camp Nou since May 1991, putting Imanol Alguacil's side in the box seat for Champions League football with three games remaining.

La Real caught their hosts cold on the counter inside five minutes, with Merino tucking home an early finish.

Barca seemed set to equalise when Ousmane Dembele met Lewandowski's delivery, but Alex Remiro made a fantastic save, before the Poland international dragged wide from close range.

The Blaugrana meanwhile lived a charmed life at the other end, as Ander Barrenetxea squandered two golden opportunities either side of Marc-Andre ter Stegen denying Mohamed Ali-Cho.

Sorloth subsequently headed wide from six yards out, but the Norway international made no mistake afterwards when he finished a superb counter-attack.

Lewandowski's fine header set up a grandstand finish late on but La Real held firm through five minutes of added time to move five points clear of fifth-place Villarreal with a worthy win.

Tommy Fleetwood will take inspiration from previous final-round heroics after playing his way into contention for the 105th US PGA Championship.

Fleetwood defied miserable conditions at Oak Hill to card a third round of 68 and set the early clubhouse target of one over par.

The Ryder Cup star was six shots off the lead when he signed his card, but can call on the memories of his record-equalling final round of 63 in the 2018 US Open as he bids to claim a maiden major title.

“It would be the low round of the day if somebody did do it,” Fleetwood said with a smile when asked by the PA news agency if a 63 was possible at Oak Hill.

“Who knows? Didn’t think it was on at Shinnecock but it happened there and it’s obviously something that happens very rarely.

“But I think you just have to go out and hit your shots and play well and see what score you can get. I played really, really well today in tough conditions and actually gave myself a bunch of chances on the front nine.

“You saw guys going low on the back nine yesterday. Any golf course there’s chances out there if things are going your way and you hole some putts.

“We’ll see what Sunday brings, but always nice to have good memories of being able to go low on a major Sunday in your memory bank and who knows? Start off hot and we’ll see.”

Fleetwood’s entire round was played in persistent rain but as conditions eased for the later starters, Canada’s Corey Conners led the way on five under after starting his third round with seven straight pars.

Conners led by one from Norway’s Viktor Hovland, with Justin Rose and Brooks Koepka a shot further back. Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry were another two strokes back after 12 holes.

Earlier in the day, Jordan Spieth admitted his wrist injury had cost him a number of shots after carding a third round of 71 to lie six over.

Spieth, who needs to win the US PGA to complete a career grand slam, was a doubt for the year’s second major after withdrawing from last week’s PGA Tour event due to “severe pain” in his left wrist.

“I’ve been doing a lot of recovery [on the wrist] every day since I injured it,” Spieth said.

“But on course there’s been a couple of scenarios where I bailed out of a couple shots that if it weren’t a factor I wouldn’t have, and unfortunately those shots did affect my score.

“I was hoping that wouldn’t be the case here but it’s only been a couple of times.

“My normal swings, it’s not an issue. It’s just when you’ve got to really flick under a flop shot or a bunker shot – I had that today where I just don’t have the confidence in it not making it worse, so I just bail a little bit.

“I probably cost myself a few shots on that. But coming in here I kind of figured that might be the case.

“It’s nothing major, but it’s significant enough that I would have liked to have had two or three weeks off before this event just to feel like I got prepared.”

England’s Tyrrell Hatton had defied the conditions to card an impressive 69, a round compiled alongside 2021 winner Phil Mickelson, who had made the cut for the 100th time in his major championship career.

Mickelson is the fourth player to achieve that feat after Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson and also tied the record for the most cuts made in the US PGA, joining Nicklaus and Ray Floyd on 27.

The six-time major winner may have wished he had not made the weekend however, carding a birdie-free 75 which left him on 10 over par.

Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan praised a collective effort after Pep Guardiola’s side were crowned Premier League champions once again following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners needed to win to delay City’s title celebrations ahead of their home match against Chelsea on Sunday.

However, Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-half goal proved enough to give Forest victory in front of a raucous home crowd, which secured their own top-flight status once again.

Guardiola’s side will lift the Premier League trophy on Sunday for a third successive campaign, and a fifth time in six seasons, sealed with three matches to spare.

City had overhauled Arsenal’s eight-point lead as Mikel Arteta’s men faltered, winning 11 Premier League games in a row including a 4-1 victory over their rivals at the end of April.

Unbeaten in their last 23 games through all competitions, City have also reached the finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League as they remain on course for the treble.

“To have helped the club win a third straight Premier League title is something very special,” Gundogan said on the Manchester City website.

“The Premier League is without doubt the most demanding and competitive league in the world so that tells you everything about what an achievement this is.

“This squad is so talented and so special and to have been captain this season has been an enormous privilege.”

German midfielder Gundogan added: “I would also like to thank Pep, all the backroom staff and everyone who works across this football club.

“Every single day they help provide us as players with everything we need in order to try to be successful. There is no way we could have won this title without all their support.

“To have won this trophy three times in a row and five times in six years is incredible. That quality and consistency helps sum up what Manchester City stand for and ensures the club will continue to strive for success going forward.

“It has been a season I will never forget. Our amazing fans have been with us every single step of the way.

“Without their amazing backing I don’t think there is any way we would have been able to achieve what we have done these past six seasons.

“Their passion and support have been so important and inspirational for us all. Hopefully winning the Premier League title again is a fitting way for us to say thank you to our fans.”

Erling Haaland’s goals helped fire City to the title, as the Norway forward set a new Premier League record with 36 so far.

He wrote on Twitter: “Always give your best. Always believe. It pays off. C’MON CITY!”

City defender Aymeric Laporte posted: “What a season tho. Credit to absolutely everyone involved from top to bottom.

“Every one of use fought for this. More to come soon hopefully but we can already be proud of this one.”

Arsenal had been insatiable for most of the campaign, spending 248 days on top of the table before their late collapse handed City an opportunity to ruthlessly hunt them down.

City defender Kyle Walker said: “Arsenal pushed us right to the limit they’ve been fantastic, so all credit to them.

“We just went on an incredible run, they had a few hiccups and we capitalised on it and we’ve managed to end up where we have now.

“It’s the players we’ve got. We’re a bunch of lads who have achieved so much over the last number of years and we understand the standards we’ve set.

“We achieved so much over the past five or six years, but we knew the bar wasn’t high enough at the start of the season.

“When we came back after the World Cup, we had to kick on and fair play to the lads.

“We wanted to prove anyone doubting us wrong – it wasn’t good enough.

“With the lads we have in the dressing room we always believe we can do something.

“The standards of the Premier League have gone up, but this is what this club is built for, certainly that’s how it’s been for the six years I’ve been here, so fair play to everyone involved.

“You’ve got to be ready at the business end of the season because that’s what this club is all about and what we are built for.”