<P> After relegation, the club underwent off - the - field upheaval, with new chairman David Bernstein introducing greater fiscal discipline . City were promoted at the first attempt, achieved in dramatic fashion in a play - off against Gillingham . A second successive promotion saw City return to the top division, but this proved to have been a step too far for the recovering club, and in 2001 City were relegated once more . Kevin Keegan arrived as the new manager in the close season, bringing an immediate return to the top division as the club won the 2001--02 Division One championship, breaking club records for the number of points gained and goals scored in a season in the process . The 2002--03 season was the last at Maine Road, and included a 3--1 derby victory over rivals Manchester United, ending a run of 13 years without a derby win . City also qualified for European competition for the first time in 25 years . In the 2003 close season the club moved to the new City of Manchester Stadium . The first four seasons at the stadium all resulted in mid-table finishes . Former England manager Sven - Göran Eriksson became the club's first manager from overseas when appointed in 2007 . After a bright start performances faded in the second half of the season, and Eriksson was sacked in June 2008 . Eriksson was replaced by Mark Hughes two days later on 4 June 2008 . </P> <P> By 2008, the club was in a financially precarious position . Thaksin Shinawatra had taken control of the club a year before, but his political travails saw his assets frozen . Then, in August 2008, the club was purchased by the Abu Dhabi United Group . The takeover was immediately followed by a flurry of bids for high - profile players; the club broke the British transfer record by signing Brazilian international Robinho from Real Madrid for £ 32.5 million . Performances were not a huge improvement on the previous season despite the influx of money however, with the team finishing tenth, although they did well to reach the quarter - finals of the UEFA Cup . During the summer of 2009, the club took transfer spending to an unprecedented level, with an outlay of over £ 100 million on players Gareth Barry, Roque Santa Cruz, Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez and Joleon Lescott . In December 2009, Mark Hughes - who had been hired shortly before the change in ownership but was originally retained by the new board - was replaced as manager by Roberto Mancini . City finished the season in fifth position in the Premier League, narrowly missing out on a place in the Champions League, and competed in the UEFA Europa League in season 2010--11 . </P> <P> Continued investment in players followed in successive seasons, and results began to match the upturn in player quality . City reached the 2011 FA Cup Final, their first major final in over thirty years, after defeating derby rivals Manchester United in the semi-final, the first time they had knocked their rival out of a cup competition since 1975 . They defeated Stoke City 1--0 in the final, securing their fifth FA Cup, the club's first major trophy since winning the 1976 League Cup . In the same week, the club qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1968 with a 1--0 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur . On the last day of the 2010--11 season, City passed Arsenal for third place in the Premier League, thereby securing qualification directly into the Champions League group stage . Strong performances continued to follow in the 2011--12 season, with the club beginning the following season in commanding form, including beating Tottenham 5--1 at White Hart Lane and humbling Manchester United by a 6--1 scoreline in United's own stadium . Although the strong form waned half - way through the season, and City at one point fell eight points behind their bitter rivals with only six games left to play, an unprecedented slump by the previous champions allowed the blue side of Manchester to draw back level with two games to go, setting up a thrilling finale to the season with both teams going into the last day equal on points . Despite City only needing a home win against a team in the relegation zone, they still managed to fall a goal behind by the end of normal time, leading some of United's players to finish their game celebrating in the belief that they had won the league . Two goals in injury time - including one scored almost five minutes after normal time had elapsed - resulted in an almost - literal last - minute title victory, City's first in 44 years, and became only the fifth team to win the Premier League since its creation in 1992 . In the aftermath that followed, the event was described by media sources from the UK and around the world as the greatest moment in Premier League history . The game was only made all the more notable for former player Joey Barton's sending off, where he committed three separate red card - able incidents on three different players in the space of only a few seconds, resulting in a 12 - game ban which effectively forced him to leave English football . </P> <P> After an end to the season which many believed would only spur City on, however, the following season failed to capitalise on any of the gains made in the first two full seasons of Mancini's reign . The transfer window saw virtually no players join the club until the last day of the season, when a last - minute burst of activity saw four different players all join in the space of around 10 hours . The free - flowing football of the previous season was suddenly rare to behold, and while City rarely seemed likely to drop below second in the table, they posed little title challenge all season . In the UEFA Champions League, the club was eliminated at the group stage for a second successive season, in a result which seemed to confirm Mancini's reputation as far better at managing in domestic games than European, while a second FA Cup final in three seasons ended in a 1--0 defeat to relegated Wigan Athletic . The loss resulted in Mancini's dismissal, ostensibly as he had failed to reach his targets for the season but with many in the press suggesting a break - down of relations between Mancini and his players but also between the Italian and his board - level superiors, while a refusal to promote young players was also cited . In his place was appointed the Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, who boasted a far more impressive Champions League record but less of a reputation for trophy - winning . </P>

Chelsea - man city premier league 2 division 1