Man City v West Ham LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Phil Foden inspires victory
Manchester City 3-1 West Ham: City claim fourth successive league title after Foden brace and Rodri’s second-half strike
Manchester City won an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight title with a 3-1 win over West Ham United on Sunday to pip rivals Arsenal on the final day of a thrilling Premier League season.
Two glorious early goals from league player of the season Phil Foden created a party atmosphere in the sunshine at the Etihad Stadium before a stunning bicycle kick from Mohammed Kudus before halftime brought West Ham briefly into the game.
But Rodri sealed the victory with a low 59th-minute shot from outside the area, giving Pep Guardiola’s side a phenomenal sixth title in seven years. Fans danced in their seats, belting out: “Champions again!” and “Are you watching Arsenal?”
In one of the closest title races in Premier League history, Arsenal could have taken the championship had City dropped points. But the Londoners’ 2-1 win in their game against Everton was in vain, leaving them two points behind.
Follow all the reaction below.
Manchester City clinch fourth successive Premier League title with final-day win over West Ham
Arsenal fall just short of Premier League glory — and it’s clear what they need to finally beat Man City
The legacy of Pep Guardiola’s Man City – and why they may never be truly loved
Premier League 2023/24 awards: Best player, signing and moments of season
Premier League LIVE
Team news - Man City vs West Ham
Manchester City will be without Ederson, who fractured his eye socket against Tottenham. Stefan Ortega will deputise having produced a couple of key saves in that game having been introduced from the bench.
Nayef Aguerd and Konstantinos Mavropanos could miss out for West Ham, perhaps leaving Angelo Ogbonna to partner skipper Kurt Zouma again in what could be the Italian’s final appearance for the club. Kalvin Phillips would have been ineligible against his parent club, but the midfielder is already back at Manchester City with his season curtailed by injury.
Premier League 2023/24 awards: Best player, signing and moments of season
Manchester City and Arsenal have battled to the finish line in another compelling Premier League season.
Pep Guardiola’s side can win a record fourth-successive Premier League crown at the Etihad on Sunday.
While Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton have all gone straight back down following promotion last year to somewhat reduce the final-day drama.
There are still European places to play for though, with Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Manchester United eyeing up Europa League or Europa Conference League action next term - although Erik ten Hag’s side can still qualify through the FA Cup should they defeat Man City in next week’s final.
Here, Indy Sport picks through the campaign and hand out our 2023/24 awards:
Premier League 2023/24 awards including best player and moment
Man City and Arsenal go to the wire in the Premier League title race, while Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United are still competing for European places next season
Premier League Golden Boot standings: Can anyone challenge Erling Haaland?
Erling Haaland is set to win a second consecutive Premier League Golden Boot award as the title race goes down to the final day.
Manchester City will be champions for the fourth year in a row should they beat West Ham United at home, giving Haaland further incentive to bolster his tally.
Ahead of the final day, Haaland has scored 27 goals in just 30 Premier League appearances - putting the Norwegian five goals clear of his closest challenger, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer. Newcastle’s Alexander Isak is on 20 Premier League goals, while Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke are on 19.
Haaland scored a record 36 goals in his debut Premier League campaign last season. In total, Erling Haaland has scored 63 goals in his first 65 Premier League games - the most of any player in his first two seasons in the division.
And barring a remarkable haul of goals elsewhere, a second Premier League Golden Boot award is set to Haaland’s as well.
Premier League Golden Boot standings: Can anyone challenge Erling Haaland?
The striker is five goals clear of Cole Palmer ahead of the final day
David Moyes ‘will do everything to beat us’, says Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola expects David Moyes to “do everything” to spoil Manchester City’s party on his West Ham swansong.
“It’s curious. My first game in the Premier League was against Sunderland and David Moyes was there. Now, another important game, he will be there.
“Always it is an honour to see him. When I’m there, he’s always so kind. He’s a lovely person, his experience speaks for itself.
“But he will do everything to beat us.”
David Moyes determined to beat Man City - but not for Declan Rice
David Moyes is determined to sign off at West Ham with a victory – but not as a favour to former captain Declan Rice.
The Hammers could swing the title race the way of Rice’s current side Arsenal if they can pull off a shock win in Moyes’ final match in charge of the club at Manchester City on Sunday.
“Everybody here loves Declan, everybody will remember him, but we’re not doing it for Declan,” Moyes said.
“We’re fully focused on ourselves. We’re not playing to make Manchester City lose the Premier League or for Arsenal to win the league, we’re playing for West Ham and we’re trying to win the game for our supporters.
“It’s difficult to beat Manchester City at any time, especially when they know they’ve got to win a game to secure the championship. That puts us under pressure because of what Manchester City can do, but it also puts them under a bit of pressure.
“Football is a strange game, and you never know what moments you’re going to have to win games. We have to try and take those opportunities when they arrive.”
Mikel Arteta reacts to Son Heung-min’s miss against Man City
Mikel Arteta admitted Son Heung-min was the one player in the Premier League he would have wanted on the end of the opportunity that could have put Arsenal in pole position to win the Premier League title.
The Gunners head into the final weekend of the campaign relying on West Ham to take points off Pep Guardiola’s side if they are to end a 20-year wait to win the league.
But it could have been City needing help from Arsenal’s opponents Everton on Sunday had Tottenham captain Son not been denied an 86th-minute equaliser by substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega when clean through on goal on Tuesday.
“If I had to pick a player in the Premier League for that moment then it would have been him,” Arteta said.
“Michael Jordan explained it many times, how many times you have the winning shot and how sometimes he didn’t always manage to do it.
“This is the beauty of the sport too, so what can you do?”
Mikel Arteta ‘optimistic’ about Arsenal’s title chances
If Arsenal are to snatch the title on the final day then Arteta will need a helping hand from his former Everton manager David Moyes, who will take charge of his last game in charge of West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.
Arteta said of Moyes: “He’s been instrumental in my career so he could help us to fulfil our dream and my personal dream to win the Premier League.
“That would be unbelievable and it would be in my memory that’s for sure.
“For that dream to happen we have to win. We also have to hope that West Ham can help us achieve that dream so that part is on us and that’s the only thing we can focus on.”
Mikel Arteta ‘optimistic’ about Arsenal’s title chances
Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal’s “dreams are still alive” ahead of their final-day bid to win the Premier League. The Gunners, who sit two points behind leaders Manchester City, will need to beat Everton and for Pep Guardiola’s men to drop points against West Ham if they are to lift their first league title since 2004.
City are favourites to claim a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League crown but Arteta remains optimistic ahead of what could be a dramatic last day of the season.
“I’m really excited and I can’t wait for Sunday to be in front of us,” Arteta said. “Obviously I’m very optimistic as well with the possible outcome.
“The hope is there. It didn’t happen (on Tuesday), we have to do our job. We will have to prove again that we are better than our opponent and we have to wish that West Ham have a really good day and help us to fulfil our dream.
“We have the possibility to live a beautiful day on Sunday where the dream is still alive and it’s still possible. It’s football, we have to live the moment.”
Guardiola warns players to expect tense day
City put themselves in position to defend their crown as they overcame Tottenham in a hard-fought contest in midweek to move back above Arsenal at the top.
Guardiola, who is without first-choice goalkeeper Ederson but hopes Kevin De Bruyne will recover from a blow to the ankle, now has a plan to rouse his players for the final challenge.
He said: “I saw perfectly the reaction in the locker room at Spurs away a few days ago. They were relieved, they were ‘wow’, but they were not extra celebrations or something like that.
“They were happy but incredibly calm, it was nothing more special than another game in the Premier League.
“They know there is still a lot of work to do. And today, they will feel it. What I’m going to show them, they will feel there is a lot of work to do.”
Asked for further details, Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference: “It is something that belongs to us.
“I’m going to show them how good they are and what they have to do. As simple as that. It’s nothing special.”
Guardiola warns players to expect tense day
“I have the feeling it will be an Aston Villa game. We would love to be 3-0 up after 10 minutes - but it isn’t going to happen,” Guardiola added.
“We’ve seen enough West Ham games (to know) they have a few things we have to control. They will be ready to beat us. That happened with Aston Villa - they didn’t play for anything - in the same position, two years ago.
“I know what happened, it’s going to happen the same. Ourselves and our people have to come here to be ready from the first minute, to do it together.”
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