When Pep Guardiola selected his 'best bench in history' for their title-winning homecoming match against Chelsea at the Etihad on Sunday, Gary Nevile on the commentary team agreed.
Prior to kickoff, the club's third consecutive championship was certain, giving the Catalan head coach the option to rotate his team against the west London club that was now in 12th place—a feat only three managers in English football history had previously accomplished.
Only Kyle Walker and Manuel Akanji remained in the starting XI after Guardiola made an astounding nine changes to the team that destroyed Real Madrid at home in the previous week.
The players' signing values combined to reach a staggering £479.7 million, meaning the substitutes' bench was filled with a wealth of talent that practically any club seeing action in the Premier League would have placed directly into their first team.
Jack Grealish is breaking the record for an English player transfer in 2021.
The Footballer of the Year Erling Haaland, whom City spent £51 million luring away from Borussia Dortmund during the 2017 summer transfer window, was seen having a deep talk with the former Aston Villa player.
With his relatively modest £63 million signing in 2021, the Spanish midfielder Rodri smashed the club's previous transfer record, and he was on the field with his teammates Bernardo Silva (£43 million) and Ilkay Gundogan (£21 million).
During the 1-0 triumph, a number of club superstars were substituted in, including Kevin De Bruyne, who joined City in August 2015 for £54 million, a sum that, like many of those associated with the celebrated players, now seems shockingly low.
Goalkeeper Stones (£47.5m) was also included to the game.
In order to keep carousing supporters out of the tunnel, security had to eject players from both teams off the field and compel them to leave it quickly.
Guardiola will probably make additional changes to his starting XI in City's next two games, against Brentford and Brighton, as he maintains his players' match fitness before their postseason campaign. Unparalleled squad depth has played a significant role in City's successful 2022–23 season.
In the FA Cup final, City will first take on crosstown rivals Manchester United, who are hoping to ruin the party early and prevent their noisy neighbors from repeating their unmatched 1998–1999 campaign.
Real was easily defeated by City in the semifinals, and City will
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