Man City's Champions League qualification feels 'like a title' for Guardiola

City beat Fulham 2-0 on the final day of the Premier League season to secure a third-place finish and ensure they would be competing in Europe's premier competition again next campaign.

Ilkay Gundogan scored a sensational overhead kick in the first half before winning the second-half penalty that made sure of the points, with Erling Haaland coolly slotting in from 12 yards.

It sealed a 15th consecutive win for City over Fulham, the outright longest winning run one side has recorded over another in the history of England's top four tiers (overtaking City v Bournemouth – 14).

And having gone through a rough patch in the middle of the campaign, City ended the Premier League season unbeaten in 10 (W7 D3). It is their longest such streak of the season and the best run without defeat by any side to end the 2024-25 campaign.

It is just the second time in Guardiola's managerial career that he has finished outside the top two in a league campaign, but the Spaniard was delighted with their achievement.

"We started really well and after that we had the momentum," Guardiola told BBC MOTD about the win at Craven Cottage.

"It was in our hands, and we did our job. It's been a tough year, but we never gave up. I'm very proud and pleased for the team. Now we will recover, and next season will be better.

"It's [Champions League qualification] like a title, because of the obstacles. When you continue [a run of poor form], you finish 10th, 11th, 12th or 13th.

"This is the destiny of all the teams in the Premier League when they are in November, December or January, and you cannot fight for the Premier League, like you have done for many years.

"People can say, 'I don't want to fight again, just to qualify for the Europa League'. We continued playing good, and we were there [in position to seal Champions League qualification] and we did it.

"At the end, we finished third, not miles away from Arsenal, but the distance to Liverpool is huge. We have to improve, and hopefully we can do it."

Fulham ultimately finished the season in 11th place on 54 points, though that is a club-record point haul for them in the Premier League.

The Cottagers had their chances, with Harry Wilson forcing two smart stops out of Ederson as they accumulated 1.74 expected goals (xG), while Sander Berge was also denied a consolation late on.

Questions have swirled about Marco Silva's future at Fulham, with the Portuguese being linked to the likes of Tottenham or Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.

However, he has confirmed that he will still be at Craven Cottage next season.